Shattered Glass
by Breaking.Benajmin
Summary: Parallel universes: There are many theories to support their exsistence, but no real proof. Just like there's no proof that a corrosive bone disease can be altered to kill in a fraction of the time. But it seems for shifters, anything is possible.
1. False Accusations

**Note: **My summary is crap. I couldn't get the actually summary to fit so that'll have to do. Yeah.

D**isclaimer: **Meg Cabot owns all of her characters. I own the rest.

**Warning: PG13—**language, violence/supernatural stuff, and of course some fluff! How fluffy I'm not sure yet. Ehm. Yeah. No worries, I'll make warnings if anything gets to graphic.

Also, I'll probably add song lyrics to certain parts, only because I write that way. It's habitual and I can't help it. Sigh.

**Ch1: False Accusations**

I can't believe it. I honestly can _not_ believe it. And after everything I did for him...He hasn't even been alive two months and he's already cheating on me.

And whom with? Some skank ho he works with! And he has the _nerve_ to show up at _my_ house and demand that I listen to him! Ha!

"Querida, open the door,"Jesse sighed from the hallway. That's right I locked him out of my room.

"No," I yelled from my bed. I'd been crying into my pillow for about five minutes before he'd come barging in and starting banging on my door.

"Querida, please. Just open the door and hear what I have to say. This is all just a big understanding."

"Go. Away."

"Susannah."

Oh great. I'd been undermined from "Querida" to "Susannah." He must be getting really pissed at me.

Not that I give a damn right now.

"I don't want to hear your bullshit, Jesse."

Dragging my sorry butt off my bed, I made my way into my bathroom, locking the door behind me. My eyes were blurred with tears as I stripped off my school clothes and got into my shower.

God the hot water feels good. It sounds good too. After all it _is_ drowning out whatever that bastard is saying to my door. And to think I went back to 1850 just so we could be together.

Thinking of the past just made me cry harder. All I could keep thinking about was, after everything we've been through, how could he do this to me?

After letting the searing droplets sooth me for a while, I got out of the shower and wrapped myself in the largest, softest towel I could find.

I could still remember how, up until recently, I used to have to dress in my bathroom, for a certain ghost haunted my room, making it impossible to change in there. But not anymore. Now that ghost as alive.

And cheating on me.

I sucked up what last few tears lingered and opened my door, still clutching onto my towel. I wanted to keep it firmly against my skin like a security blanket.

Pathetic I know. But I was heart broken so bite me.

When I opened my door, though, I nearly dropped my towel as I gasped. Rather loudly might I add.

My bedroom door was closed and locked, but Jesse now sat on my day bed, staring at me.

My death-grip on my towel increased dramatically, as chills went up my spine. Normally the sight of him would make me want to lose the towel and go over and make mad passionate love to him. But not now. I was fuming. And confused.

Plus, Jesse was too much of a gentlemen to express his full love to me before marriage.

Much to my chagrin.

Noticing my confused stare, Jesse pulled a screw driver out of his pocket and waved in at me, all while smirking.

"I jimmied the door."

"Wow," I replied, rather sarcastically. "Did you learn that while your were a ghost, or did your new _girlfriend_ teach you that?'

The smirk quickly left his face. He got up from the daybed and went over to my closet, where he proceeded to throw a robe at me.

"Put it on and have a seat," he ordered, as he now went back over to the daybed.

"I already told you, I don't want to hear–"

"It's not open for negotiation, Susannah," he interrupted, as I slipped the robe on.

Whoa. Mr. Ex Rancher's getting testy.

Jesse waited until I'd made myself comfortable on my bed before starting in.

"You have no right," he growled in a tone that I'd never heard him use before. At least not with me. "To accuse me of cheating, not only because you don't even know what you're talking about, but also because of all those times you betrayed me with..."

He paused and gritted his teeth, trying to control his anger. I knew what name he was thinking. And I hated the fact that he was bringing him into this.

"...with Slater," he finished. His usually deep, sensual eyes were cold as ice as he growled Paul's last name. I couldn't help but wince. I knew it was coming, but that didn't make the impact of his words hurt any less.

"I deserve to be heard out, Susannah, whether you like it or not."

He moved from my daybed to the window seat—the one he'd sat on as a ghost for over 150 years. He looked just like his ghostly self, one more, just minus the glowing aura.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning," he whispered. "You remember Saben?"

Duh. Who do you think I'm accusing you of cheating on me with. The muffin man?

I didn't say that though. I just nodded. Nodded while avoiding his penetrating gaze.

"Well, you already know that she's Clive Clemming's niece, and last living relative. The only reason she moved out here was because she'd been left everything of his in his will."

I nodded again, though I don't think he was watching.

"And seeing as to how all his possessions went to her, they all became her responsibility. His house, his personal items–everything."

Nod. I swear I'm like freaking bobble head Suze over here. Where's my aggressive, violent self? This is no time for a vacation...

"To make things easier, she moved into her uncle's house, after selling most of his things. Then she decided to take a job at the Historical Society, so that cleaning out his office would be easier. Plus, she could just pick up where he left off."

"Are you going to tell me anything new, or just the same old–"

"Well if you'd let me finish, you'd find out."

He interrupted me! Again! That's like...like...well only the second time today but this had better not become a habit. It's most annoying.

"Like I was saying, she took her uncle's job and is now going to college near here. Two days ago, my landlord told me I had to move out for a few weeks since the complex is being fumigated for termites; then renovated due to the damage."

Termites. Ok, eww. And to think I'd made out with him in said apartment on multiple occasions. shudder

"None of the hotels around here allow pets. And it's not like I could stay with you or at the rectory. So, when I went into work Monday with Spike in hand, Saben became a bit curious as to what was going on. So I told her."

You know, I wouldn't be so angry if the girl didn't look almost exactly like me. Except older. And taller. And one of her eyebrows is pierced.

But other than that, we could be twins. Seriously.

Maybe that's why I think Jesse's cheating on me. She looks so much like me, he probably wouldn't be able to tell us apart!

No, no. I know he'd be able to tell us apart. She's got bigger breasts than me as well. See she's not like Pam Anderson here, but she's no Paris Hilton either. Yeah.

Then again neither am I. Okay, I'm not making myself feel any better with this mindless babbling.

"Then, she offered to let me stay with her since she lives alone, and doesn't haven't a problem with animals, so I took her up on her proposition. But this is exactly why I didn't tell you I was living with her. I knew you'd react this way. And honestly, Querida, nothing—_nothing—_happened between Saben and myself. I just learned yesterday that the only reason she was comfortable with the arrangement is because her heart already belongs to someone. Plus, she knows how I feel about you."

"She does?" My whispered was barely audible, but he still heard me. He carefully came over an sat by me, before continuing.

"Of course she does," Jesse smiled, and laced his fingers between his own. "She has graciously informed me that all I ever seem to do is talk about you."

Oh. So the nitwit's rude about it. That's nice.

"But I don't think she minds too much, or she would have kicked me out by now. Not to mention, she does have a point. You do often distract me from my work."

Okay. Blushing now. Blushing profusely.

"So you aren't living with her because you love her?" I asked, just to make sure.

"Susannah," he said in that sexy, soothing voice that makes me melt. Oh was it working. I swear I was a Suze-mush pile. "You're the only woman I will _ever_ love."

And with that, he leaned over and kissed me.

* * *

.sigh. 

Should I continue or not? Let me know. Thanks.

:Sam:


	2. Just Like You

Yay! Thanks for all of your reviews!

_ValiantGoddess:_ Favorite list? Wowz I am honored. :blush: Now I've got a second bit some Imaginary here I come! Be prepared! Bwhahaha. Can't wait. Hmm, when do the 3 & 4 books come out for you? I shall buy them at the bookstore in town and mail them to you! And Saben is just my fluffy imagination of character :pokes her:gets death glare: Yeah. Clive is one of Meg's characters but Sab is one of mine. Bwhaha. Just to clarify. Yeah. :shifty eyes:

_PrincessMia737:_ Aw thanks. And I shall continue! Moohahahah..oh no I started the 'moo' stuff again. :mental slap:

_swishalicious girlie:_ No worries! This one isn't a one shot. And I'm glad you like it :D

_Jesse's Querida:_ Continuing! Aw thanks.

You all have made my day. And I didn't know I could have a day made. Lol. On with the show.

**

* * *

****Chapter 2: Just Like You**

I'm sad to say I still haven't gotten passed second base with Jesse. Even if I did nearly get him to go to third last night, he resisted.

But no matter. I'm happy once again. And fully convinced he isn't cheating on me. But what didn't float my precious row boat was that Jesse wants me to meet this "Saben" again and actually become, like, her friend or something.

Pfft. What is in his crack pipe? I just became convinced he wasn't cheating on me with her and now he wants me to be all chummy-chummy with her? Yep. He's on crack.

Actually, I might be the one on drugs because I actually agreed to it.

So after school I drove over to the Carmel-by-the-Sea Historical Society. Mrs. Lampbert was still working there. Well, technically she doesn't 'work." She just sits around reading smutty-romance novels and makes sure all visitors sign in.

Wow. Don't herniate yourself there, Mrs. L.

After signing the stupid log (and asking where Saben was) I went to Clive's office. Well, what was once his office.

I was about to knock on the door when I heard someone talking.

"Come on. You know this one."

"No, I don't. Just tell me."

Okay, that was Jesse. Jesse was in the office with her...ALONE!

Geez, Simon,stop it! Jumping to conclusions is what got you into trouble once already.

"Jesse, you'll never learn it if I tell you all the answers."

"Come on. Throw me a bone here, Sab."

Curiosity got the best of me and I cracked the door open, just a smidgen, and peeked inside. Saben was sitting on her desk, pointing to her forearm, while Jesse paced back and forth in front of her, scratching his chin.

"Two words. One starts with a B, the other with and R," Saben smiled as Jesse's brows furrowed.

"Um–"

Hmm. Bone...bone r...bone-r...boner...ew.

"Boney roney?" I offered and barged in. Hey, it was better than the alternative. And nobody said I was patient.

"Close," Saben was still smiling warmly. Remind me why I hate her again? Ah yes. She and my love's current living arrangements.

Grr. Very grr.

"Oh!" Jesse almost squealed as the answer dawned on him. "Brachial Radialis."

"Johnny, give the boy a prize. We'll make a doctor out of you yet. Won't we, Suze?"

I smiled in response. It wasn't quite friendly, but I was working on it.

"Um, Jesse," I said rather sweetly. More so than I had intended. "Can I have a word with you?"

He swiftly looked from me to Saben and back again, before nodding and following me out the office door.

"What is it, Querida?" he asked after the door was shut behind us.

"Look. I don't know if I can do this. I mean, I don't hate her guts or anything, but—but what you're asking is kind of hard for me."

"Why? She won't bite, I promise."

Oh yeah, let's be cute about this. Well Jesse is always cute, but that's not the point.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just envious of her."

"Envious of Saben? Whatever for?" he laughed. God he has sexy laugh. Back to the point, Suze. Focus now.

"I–"

But I didn't get to finish. Right as I started to say what was on my mind, there was a loud crash from within the office, followed by Saben yelling.

"I TOLD YOU I'D GET TO IT, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M BUSY! DON'T GET VIOLENT WITH ME, MISTER, OR I'LL EXORCISE YOUR ASS!"

Whoa. Did she just say _exorcise?_ What the hell is going on?

Jesse must have read my mind since he threw the door back open and ran inside, withe me at his heels.

One of the many filing cabinets had ricocheted across the room, presumably aimed at Saben.

And above it was a pretty guilty party. A man, who appeared to be in his mid thirties. His black hair was long enough to cover his forehead, but not his eyes; which were as black as his hair and filled with enough rage for a small army.

And did I mention he was glowing? Yeah. A nice ghostly aura was another quality he sported.

The man looked from Saben–who was on the ground, ducking from objects being hurled at her–to Jesse and I, then back again.

"Do as I asked," he spat. "Or next time I won't miss."

Then he dematerialized.

"Wow," Saben gawked with forced enthusiasm. 'Was that an earthquake? I mean, only earthquakes can cause stuff like that to happen, right?"

"That wasn't an earthquake, Saben," Jesse sighed and ran his fingers through his luscious hair. "And you know it."

She looked at the two of us, first with a guilt ridden expression, and then one of confusion.

"You mean, you saw him?"

"Yeah, we saw him," I answered. I hated it when this happened. A lengthy explanation usually ensued afterwards. "I'm a shifter, he's a mediator."

Saben still looked confused as she climbed to her feet. You could see it all was sinking it, but slowly. Like molasses or something.

"The real question is what are you?"

"I'm solamente," she said while grabbing her bag, then walked passed us. We both watched as she headed out the front door after telling Mrs. Lampbert she'd see her tomorrow.

"Hey," I said once she was completely out of sight. "What does "solamental whatsa" mean?"

"Roughly translated," Jesse sighed. "Alone."

I wonder what that's suppose to mean.

* * *

Jesse and I left shortly after that. He didn't take me home though. He took us to see Father Dominic. I kept telling him Father D didn't need to know, but he just kept insisting that we should tell him.

Traffic to the Mission was busier than usual. Usually it only takes about fifteen minutes to get there from the Society, even with all the tourists. We'd been sitting in stand still-traffic for almost an hour, before I convinced Jesse just to pull into the bank parking lot next to us and park. We could get to the Mission faster walking than driving. Halfway down the road we saw what was causing traffic to stop. Authorities from not only Carmel, but also surrounding towns were piled in the Carmel Hospital parking lot.

No one seemed to know what was going on. The panic ratio increased, though, when helicopters starting flying in, all with personnel in air-vac suites.

It was while we were staring at the hospital that I felt it; a slight tug on my sleeve. I stopped and turned around and found myself face to face with at least two dozen ghosts. A little girl, who looked no older than four, was still holding on to my sleeve.

By now Jesse had realized I had stopped and had turned to see what was going on. I didn't have to look at him to sense his shock. I could hear it in his Spanish cursing.

"Help us," the little girl pleaded. Her eyes were big, blue and filling with tears.

"How–I mean who—umWhat happened to you all?" Jesse asked, as he began counting how many ghosts were actually there.

Twenty-six total. Meh, I was close.

'We don't know what happened," an elderly man came over and pulled the little girl off me. "All I remember was getting a shot in the IV by a nurse, falling asleep, and then waking up like this."

There was a loud murmur that spread through the crowd as they all agreed on recalling the situation.

"Right," I managed, but just barely. I was becoming seriously parched just standing her. And I'm sure Jesse and I looked weird to the people on the road, you know, since we look like we're talking to thin air. "Any idea what cause you all to die then?"

Jesse shot me a look saying 'you could have worded that more nicely." But, hey, I'm no English Major, okay? And I was starting to sweat. The sun was beating down brutally at that particular moment. And if the crevice between my boobs moistened, I would have a coronary. One can't be discrete when drying their chests. Especially not when wearing a white shirt.I know from experience.

Now back to my point.

"No clue what-so-ever. But I do know who's responsible," the elderly man sighed. "Qain Paquin."

The name sent a chill up my spine. I'm not sure why though. But if this Qain person was the killer, he seemed to only have one specification for his victims.

That they be helpless.

* * *

I have no idea when Ch 3 will be up. I have a truck load of homework to get done so I'd better go get on it. I shall try and have up soon tho. Thanks to all that are reading! Love ya'll! 

:Sam:


	3. Enlightenment

Lalala. The song in this chappie is "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin. I couldn't help myself. Squee. Enjoy (I hope)!

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**Chapter 3: Enlightenment**

The living–dead left us once we agreed to look into what Paquin had done. I don't think they believed we could help, but what they were asking wasn't easy.

"Stop him from killing," the little girl begged.

Personally, performing brain surgery would be easier. I mean, come on, he has supposedly killed over twenty people and they want Jesse and I to _stop_ him?

HA! Excuse me while I go laugh my ass off.

But I couldn't say no. Not only because I felt sorry for them but because if I did say no, they'd _never_ leave me alone.

So, Jesse and I are now sitting in Father Dom's office (Thank God for air conditioning) explaining everything to him.

Actually, Jesse's doing most of the talking. I'm reading a brochure I found in the hallway. 25 things to know before you smoke. Oh my interest has never been so piqued.

I think "we'd" just gotten to the part where the ghosts wanted us to stop Qain, when the phone rang.

"Pardon me," Father Dominic sighed. I don't think our news was making his day. If the fact that part way through the conversation he took of his glasses and began rubbing his eyes in a frustrated manor, was any indication. "Hello?"

Father D put his glasses back on while listening to the person on the phone. After many minutes of silence, he answered the caller.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I'll see what I can do about having the church open for Memorial on Wednesday. Alright, Mr. Nelson. Take care."

Father Dom is not exactly a tan person, seeing as to how he spends most of his time indoors. But his already pale skin was looking more opaque than ever.

"That was Mr. Nelson. One of the victims at the hospital was his four-year old daughter, Anna. She was in for a chemo treatment when she died."

I wonder if she was the one tugging at my sleeve...

"But that's not what killed her, nor any of the others. According to Mr. Nelson, every bone in his daughter's body was gone."

"What?" I gasped. This was turning way too Stephen King for my liking. I nearly went into Cardiac Arrest when Jesse placed his hand on mine, I was that tense.

"You heard me. _Every-bone-gone," _he looked at me gravely form over the top of his glasses.

"That's impossible!"

"No, Querida, it's not. There are certain diseases that can eat away at human bone marrow, ultimately killing them. But the process takes years."

"Apparently not," Father Dom interjected. "Anna was admitted into the hospital three days ago. Plus, diseases don't act as epidemics, they're genetic. This, however, is more like an epidemic."

"It can't be an epidemic, or more people would have died already."

"Then somebody's killing these people on purpose," I stated the obvious.

What? I'm still trying to cope with the fact that people are having their bones go poof.

"The question isn't just who, it's how. And right now I don't know how we can answer either question," Father Dom sighed.

"I thought the ghosts made it clear Paquin is responsible?"

"Well, we don't have any proof, Susannah. We can't just go to the police empty handed."

He has a point. I mean, I'd get thrown in the looney bin if I ran into a police station, screaming, "Ah! Qain Paquin's the killer! Somebody arrest him!" It wouldn't be that that would get me to the funny farm though. Nope. It would be when the cops asked how I knew he was the killer and I confessed that I interact with dead people. Yeah...

"Fine. So what do we do now?" I asked and threw the brochure onto his desk.

"Take me to meet this Saben character. If she's like you say, then she may be of use to us. After all, three mediators on twenty-six ghosts isn't an easy task."

I didn't bother correcting him about me being a shifter and that we were going up against a killer, not ghosts. I was too busy noticing how warm Jesse's hand was on mine.

I know "Hello, Suze. It's been there awhile." But I was just now really noticing it. I mean this whole concept of bones disappearing is just...creepy. Very creepy.

And Jesse's hand was comforting.

"The car is down at the Carmel Town and Country Bank," Jesse informed the good Father.

"Well, how far is your new living quarters from here?"

"Uh, about a half a mile away."

"Alright, then we'll walk," Father Dom smiled and got to his feet.

It's a good thing I'm wearing comfortable shoes, or there would be hell to pay. I still remember what happened that time I walked home from Paul's...not that I care to.

Just as I was thinking that, guess who we ran into right outside the school? Yep. Paul. If that's not a coincidence I don't know what is. Maybe I'm clairvoyant or something.

"Hey," he said with a warm grin, that is, until he noticed Jesse. Then it became a bit more tense. Can't blame him though. Jesse has kicked his butt on more than one occasion. And I highly doubt he would hesitate to do it again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Hi, Paul. How are you? Oh fine, thanks for asking, Suze. And yourself—"

"Hello. Now cut the small talk and answer my question."

"Have you had your Midol yet today?" Paul sighed.

"Mr. Slater, what can I help you with? We really must be going," Father Dom cut me off before I could reply.

Good thing too. For some reason, I had nothing nice to say to him, even, though we agreed to be friends. Possibly because ever since Kelly moved two weeks ago, he's been—well, more of an arrogant, selfish, jerk than usual.

Jesse says he's just lonely, which is most likely true. Paul doesn't seem to like solitude much. Maybe if I set him up with Saben, he'd quite being such a pita. Plus, I would defiantly feel better about Jesse living with Saben if she had a boyfriend. Yes, I remember Jesse mentioning her heart already belonged to someone, but that doesn't mean she isn't single. I'll have to look into that.

"I just stopped by to turn in the enrollment papers for my brother."

"Jack's going to go to school at the Mission?"

"Yeah. My parents have been rather 'busy' lately and want me to keep an eye on him. So, they're shipping him down here to stay withe me and gramps."

Figures. The Slaters never have paid much attention to their children. I mean, for Jack's eight birthday they left him with me. Yeah. Great parenting if you ask me. Not.

"Hmm."

That was all I could manage. I was too busy cursing every parent that had children then didn't pay attention to them...

"Where are you all headed off to so fast?" Paul asked, as he handed the enrollment papers to Father Dom, who then headed back inside so he could put them in his office. "Wouldn't have anything to do with the ghosts from Carmel Hospital, now would it?"

How the...Damn! They went to Paul too! This is just my luck.

"Maybe," I hissed.

"Well, then do you mind if I tag along?"

Oh good God. Someone shoot me now. Jesse's special reserved death glare for Paul was up and running wildly, and Paul was doing his best to ignore it.

"Slater, why do you want to "tag along" pray-tell?"

You know what Paul did? He laughed. His earlier tension seemed to have vanished. Just like those victims' bones.

Suze, stop it! It's demented to keep doing that. And you'll just make yourself paranoid.

"I happen to know who we're up against, and you obviously don't. Paquin isn't someone who takes being messed with lightly. Any snooping is going to have to be done carefully."

"Like I'm anything but careful," I mumbled, making him laugh again.

"Suze, I've seen you at work."

"Yeah. And?" I mocked his tone.

"You're about as careful as the parents who send their kids to Michael Jackson's Neverland."

He does, sadly, have a point. I've never been the cleanest fighter, nor the least reckless, for that matter. So I didn't even bother arguing. Instead I changed the subject.

"And you think you can help how?"

"_I've,_" Paul smiled rather broadly. "Got connections."

* * *

Father Dominic wasn't ecstatic about Paul coming along, but aloud it anyway. Dang it. The entire walk to the house took roughly a half an hour. I hope the AC's on. I'm starting to sweat again.

The house was rather large for only two people and a calm cream color. Almost makes me wonder if old Clive was gay. Hmm. I'd like a house like this someday, you know, when I'm married. And making tons of money, of course.

One_ can_ dream.

We didn't have to guess if Saben had retreated to home. Not only was her car in the driveway, but there was music blasting from the open living room window.

_Crowded streets are cleared away, one by one_

_Hollow heros separate as they run_

_You're so cold keep your hand in mine_

_Wise men wonder, while strong men die_

Jesse took a key from his pocket and unlocked the front door. Then, before any of us, he went inside to find Saben and to turn off the racket. Sorry I'm not a rock fan, or I wouldn't mind.

_Show me how we end this, its alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_Well that's alright, lets give this another try_

I followed Jesse upstairs, while Paul and Father Dom made themselves comfortable in the living room. Jesse followed the music to a room at the end of the upstairs hallway. He threw open the door and there was Saben, on a treadmill, running her heart out while singing the song lyrics. While he went over to talk to her, I turned the stereo down.

"Hey!" she breathed. "That-was-the-good-part!"

Jesse had hit the stop button for her and the machine began to slow down. She jumped off, grabbed a water bottle from beside her treadmill, and took a long swig.

"What do you want?" she asked, still breathing heavily. Ew, she's all sweaty. Ew ew ew. Sorry.

"We need to talk about what happened earlier today."

"Oh," her breath was starting to even out. "That."

"What did you mean by _solamente_?" he asked. He uses that same tone with me when he knows I'm lying or avoiding the truth. It's rather interesting to be a witness rather than the recipient of his frustration.

"Exactly what it means. Only one. Alone."

"Care to specify?"

"You're a mediator. She's a Shifter," she sighed and nodded at me. "And you brought another shifter and mediator with you."

"How do you know that?" I asked. She's kinda freaky...like Paul. They'd totally be good together. Did I just say totally? I blame it on the heat.

"Because I'm a porter."

Porter...potty? Eh, couldn't help myself. Sometime I crack me up.

"What is a porter?" Father Dom appeared in the doorway with Paul behind him.

"A porter is a mediator with shifting powers, sensing powers and powers to teleport things with the mind; Spiritual or otherwise. My sister as one as well, except she had telekinetic abilities instead of teleporting," she sighed again and took a seat on the nearest window sill.

"What do you mean she _was_ your sister?"

"My family died in a car crash when I was twelve. She never knew I was just like her."

"Why?"

"Because I never told her."

Duh.

"Any reason?" Paul queried. He'd been exmaining the similarities between the two of us since he entered the room.

"None I care to share," she whispered before taking another long swig of water. "Now if you'll excuse me, I smell like wet dog and need a shower."

With that she left the room, leaving us standing around like dumbfounded idiots.

* * *

Thanks to all who reviewed:huggles: I'm not sure when Ch.4 will be up, but I'm working on it.

_kittykatangel518: _Aww! Thanks:blush:

_nikki007: _Sigh. I know. Third base is good Jesse! Go for it! I may break him of that soon enough...hmm...decisions decisions...

_PeacePixie:_Thanks!

_Strawberry-Shortcake01:_ I don't think I trust her either. And I created her! Ah! Sorry. I do know later on in the story she will inform Jesse, Suze, Father D, Paul, and Jack of something they didn't know before but will change them forever. Bwhahaha!

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone:more huggles:


	4. Stare at the Sun

Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry this has taken so long. Note this is kind of a getting some BS out of the way chapter. Yeah. Don't we all love those. -snort-

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Song: "Stare at the Sun"Thrice

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**Chapter 4: Stare at the Sun**

Being a girl, I'm not one to like combat showers. Apparently neither is Saben. She's been in the shower for twenty minutes. I bet she's thinking if she takes long enough we'll leave. But we won't. Not without answers anyway.

Finally, after about a half an hour, she came out, and of course sighed when she saw we were still there. Jesse had turned on the TV while we waited, and the four of us were now engrossed in CSI. Paul and Jesse ooh-ed at all the dead bodies and autopsies (were as I winced), and Father Dominic was busy trying to decide who the killers were (on the show). Me, well, I was busy ogling the lab-tech on the show; he was kind of hot. Not as hot as the guy who had his arm around my shoulders, but still appealing to the eyes. Hey, something had to get me past the blood and guts.

"If I tell you who did it and why, will you all leave?" Saben asked and started towel drying her hair. She'd changed out of her work clothes and into jeans and a black Chevelle band t-shirt.

"No, but tell me who did it anyway," Father Dominic said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"If you aren't going to leave, I'm not gonna tell you."

"Well, that's not fair..."

"Pfft. Life's not fair. Now why are you still here?" she took a seat in one of the many arm chairs in the room.

"We want to know more about porters."

"Like what?"

"Like why your called porters for starters," I said. We were getting no where. Fast.

"I call us porters, as in short for teleporters,"she sighed rather boredly. "The technical term is _solamente, _like I said before. But porter is easier for most people to comprehend."

"Why have a name that means alone?" Jesse shifted slightly.

"There's so few of us, we're as good as alone," her voice dropped gravely, as she averted her eyes to the floor.

"Our purpose is to handle rough spirits; one's hell doesn't even want. Regular exorcism doesn't always work on them. Their demands are usually harder to fulfill as well."

"And what makes you better than mediators and shifters at taking down the tough ghosts?" my voice came out more harshly than I intended.

"Immortality," her eyes met mine. "Mediators and shifters are strong and their bodies made to handle plenty of infliction, but because of the intensity of what my kind tend to deal wiht, regular sturdiness doesn't cut it."

"What do you mean _immortality_?" Father Dom pried his eyes away from the TV at this.

"Porters cannot be killed by normal means. Gunshots, flesh wounds, internal bleeding, disease–none of it will kill us, at least not permanently. Should our body be mutilated beyond un-survivable means, we will die. But only to be reborn with all the knowledge of our previous life."

"Surely you must die somehow, otherwise your sister would still be alive, wouldn't she?"

"I knew you'd bring that up," her eyes darted back to the floor again. "Amira chose to die. Each time you're killed the choice of rebirth is optional. I chose life and my sister chose to death."

Paul, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet, ran his fingers through his hair, then spoke.

" I bet you were pissed at her for that."

"You have _no _idea. She left me alone to fend for myself and she won't even tell me why."

"So,"Paul gave here one of those evil grins of his. The one's I despise. "Why didn't you tell your sister you were like her? Maybe if she knew she would have chosen life."

I could tell Paul had struck a nerve. Saben's eyes had narrowed to tiny slits–almost snake like. Oddly enough Jesse tensed up beside me; he could tell she was on the verge of an attack. Maybe he knew something I didn't. Wouldn't be the first time.

"That's not fair."

"Like you said, life isn't fair."

Saben jumped to her feet and went upstairs, returning moments later with shoes on, her jacket and purse in hand.

"Where are you going?" Jesse spoke as he too stood up.

"Out," she answered, nearly growling, then left, slamming the front door behind her.

"Well," I sighed and joined Jesse, putting my arm around his waist, pulling him closer. "Obviously we started this 'relationship' out on the wrong foot."

"But that's so _rare_," Paul's infamous smirk remained.

"Slater, get out," Jesse snapped. "It's your fault Saben's gone."

"I didn't force her to go, so it's not my fault."

"No, but you purposefully pissed her off. Now leave."

"Fine," he rolled his eyes and got up. "But I'll be seeing you all later."

After making sure Paul was gone, Jesse came back and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Querida, I should get you home. I've got something I need to take care of."

I nodded absentmindedly. Great. He was ditching me to go find Saben. Lovely.

Sorry, jealousy speaking.

"She didn't take her car, so I'll drive you home. Father Dominic," he asked, turning towards the old man. " I assume you'd like a ride as wel?."

"That would be nice. Thank you."

* * *

Naturally, Jesse dropped the good Father off at the Mission before taking me home. Mainly because he needed me to drive his car back to his house before hand. Luckily traffic had slimmed. Most of the hospital commotion had settled down, at least within the public. For we mediators, it never died down.

Jesse's car drives weird. Probably because I'm not used to driving it. But I made it to his house in one piece none-the-less. He thanked me, after pulling into my driveway, with a seven minute make out session. Yes, I timed it. Seven minutes in heaven indeed.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Querida," he smiled at me as I climbed out of the car. I leaned down and kissed him one last time.

"Night," I smiled back and shut the door. As I took the stairs up to my room two at a time, I couldn't help but think about what Saben said. _Immortality_. It really did exist. Almost makes me wish Jesse and I were like her. That way we could be together forever.

* * *

_I sit here clutching useless lists  
__and keys for doors that don't exist  
__I crack my teeth on pearls  
__I tear into the history  
__show me what it means to me in this world  
__yeah in this world_

* * *

The sun was starting to set as Jesse left the driveway and went out ot search for his friend. He didn't have to guess where she was at. Just like Suze, Saben had a fascination for the ocean. The beach was always the perfect place to think.

When he arrived at Carmel beach he saw Saben sitting in the sand, her bare feet soaking in the in coming tide. He slowly made his way across the small dunes, taking off his socks and shoes along the way, to keep from getting sand in them.

* * *

'_Cause I'm due for a miracle  
__I'm waiting for a sign  
__I'll stare straight into the sun  
__and I won't close my eyes  
__til I understand or go blind

* * *

"Hey," he whispered and took a seat next to her. He glanced over and noticed she'd been crying._

"You okay?"

Saben didn't respond but continued to stare at the setting sun. Jesse sighed in defeat and dropped his shoes onto the sand.

"He's right, you know,"she finally replied, her voice strained and crackling. "If I would have just told her–"

"It wasn't your fault," he interrupted.

"Yes it was. If I'd just told Amira everything she would still be alive. My heart might have broken, but she'd still be alive," she sniffled.

"Why would your heart have broken? It's just a small secret."

"You don't know the half of it, Jesse."

"Then tell me. I'm not going anywhere."

Saben wiped her eyes on the back of her hands.

"The reason I never told Amira I was like her was because...because I fell in love with a ghost."

She paused and shook here head, laughing through tears as she did.

"The ghost that haunted my–our house. Jacoby Selenium. A 24 year old who died when his neighbors killed him for his cattle. He'd been in our house since before we were born, having died back in 1798. He watched my sister and I grow up. I remember him even holding me when I was a baby and unable to sleep.

But at the age of the three, I learned my sister could talk to ghosts and kept it a secret from our parents. So I did too. I kept it from Amira as well. The older I got the more in love with him I fell. I never talked to him for I knew he'd tell my sister. But that didn't stop him from talking–mainly about his feelings for my Amira. When he wasn't talking he was usually watching me work, pointlessly correcting me, even straightening my room. When I was twelve, three months before the car accident, I let it slip. Jacoby was in my room harping on about the blasphemy of cell phones while I was trying to write a paper for Chemistry. I couldn't concentrate and asked him to zip it or harp elsewhere. He freaked to put it mildly. Then came the questions of why I'd never mentioned being able to see him before and so forth. I lied of course. I couldn't tell Jacoby that it was because I loved him and knew he didn't return my feelings. He begged me for months to tell Amira but I never did. Now they're both dead. At least they can be happy together."

Saben stopped and wiped her eyes again.

_

* * *

I see the parts but not the whole  
__I study saints and scholars both  
__no perfect plan unfurls  
__do I trust my heart or just my mind  
__why is truth so hard to find in this world  
__yeah in this world_

* * *

"Amira was so angry when she found out it was I who was to mediate her. She doesn't even know why she hasn't moved on–neither does Jacoby. Now they both just "coach" me together. More times than not I knew she wishes it was I who died and not her. That way she could do everything differently–do everything right."

"That's not true," Jesse whispered calmly.

"Yes it is! I'm telling you she resents my life everyday I live it! If you don't believe me I'll call her here right now!"

"No need," a harsh voice came from behind them. Jesse turned around to face the person–no–_ghost _addressing them.

* * *

_'Cause I'm due for a miracle  
__I'm waiting for a sign  
__I'll stare straight into the sun  
__and I won't close my eyes  
__til I understand or go blind_

* * *

The girl speaking looked a lot like Saben, except older, with shorter hair and darker eyes. There was a tall blonde standing next to her, looked down at Saben, with confusion glazing his brown eyes.

"You think I resent the fact that _you're_ alive and _I'm_ not?"

"Eavesdrop much?" Saben stood up and snapped at her sister.

"I chose this, Saben. I _chose_ this. That doesn't mean I want to see you dead. And just because I try to help you doesn't mean I think the way you handle portering is wrong. A bit unorthodox, granted, but not wrong."

"Pfft."

"Don't 'pfft' me young lady!"

"You're not my mother, so stop acting like it!"

Amira opened her mouth to reply but closed it again, suddenly at a loss for words.

"And you," Saben poked Jacoby in his strong chest. "I suppose you were listening too? Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear? That you're the pine of my existence? That I envy everything you've ever felt for my sister because you've never felt it for me? That I've cried myself to sleep for years over you?"

Jacoby flinched at every question that Saben sobbed hysterically.

"Well, you'd better be damn happy because I give up. I'll never be happy and that's the way life is."

_

* * *

I know that there's a point I missed  
__a shrine or stone I haven't kissed  
__a scar that never graced my wrist  
__a mirror that hasn't met my fist  
__but I can't help feeling like I'm  
__due for a miracle  
__I'm waiting for a sign  
__I'll stare straight into the sun  
__And I won't close my eyes_

* * *

Saben bent over and slipped on her shoes.

"Jesse, please take me home," she pleaded, with one last glance at the ghosts in front of them. Jesse nodded and slipped on his own shoes.

"Whatever you do," Saben turned back towards Amira and Jacoby, both of which actually seemed upset. "Leave me alone."

She then turned back to Jesse and followed him to his car. Neither of them said a word on the way home nor when they reached it. On the way towards her room, Saben bid Jesse goodnight before closing her door. The room was dark as she threw herself on her bed and cried what little saline remained within her.

* * *

...Phew thats finally over. Yay. I again have no clue when the next chapter will be up.

Thanks for reading all!

:Sam:


	5. True Parallels

Holy cow! Sorry it's taken so long to post more and sorry it's not a very long chapter. They'll get longer once I'm out of school and that happens on the 20 of this month (yay). And I'm also sorry that this chapter might be a twinge bit confuzzling–I changed my aim for this story somewhat and had to incorporate new info into it. Yeah...Drag me out back and shoot if you must. And just a little side note, most of my chapter titles will be song titles, cause I'm weird like that. But that doesn't always mean there's lyrics in the chapter. Just so you know.

Okay onto the replies:

_Arianna Sunrise:_ I swear (ok I hope) that after this chapter it won't seem like Mary Sueing so much. And thank you for the wonderful complements. They always make my day!

_Angelic Chocolate Fairy:_ Chocolate! Sweet! I love all he "SO"s :D As for Paul and Saben...hmmm...still thinking about that. But the chances are looking 50/50! Lol. Sorry, I've had to much Dr. Pepper. I'm a little wired. Yay! I'm on your favs list! I rock? You rock! **Rock** on! Thanks for the wicked awesome review!

_LordLanceahlot:_ Well thanks!;)

_Nikki007: _Danke! (Thanks)

And thanks to everyone else who reviewed...I'd add more thanks, but my printer cut off the reply sheet...Ahem.

**

* * *

****Ch 5: True Parallels**

It's all her fault. If she was just honest with us to begin with, we wouldn't be in this mess. I swear, right now, if murdering weren't illegal I wouldn't be able to control myself.

The floor I'm on is cold, wet, and hard and the air is deathly humid. "Where am I?" you ask. No freaking clue. All I know is it's dark..really _really_ dark. So dark I can't even see my hand in front of my face, let alone the other people here with me.

Wait, I've gotten ahead of myself—let me explain. Let me take you back to when the crap first his the fan.

The next morning. Oh the next morning was a _lovely_ one.

Not.

I got up at 4.00 A.-freaking-M. What is up with that? Oh, I hadn't set my alarm, I didn't have a bad dream, oh no. Even better. I had a visitor, of the dead variety.

"Are you the mediator?" someone asked, while shaking me violently. I groaned and rolled onto my right side, trying to ignore the person, well, spirit.

"Are (shake) you (shake) the (shake) mediator (shake shake)?"

"Giroffme."

"Wake up."

"Nuuuu."

There was a sudden crash behind me and my eyes shot open. I slowly rolled back around and saw my lamp on the floor, in a million pieces.

"What do you want?" My eyes narrowed upon the guilty party who'd destroyed my lamp. Little bugger.

Yawn.

"You must stop Qain," he groaned and shoved his hands into his baggy-jean pockets.

"No dip, Sherlock, I already know _that."_

"No. You must stop him _now_, before he kills everyone. Over fifty people have already died! You _must_ stop him!"

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "You have reached the answering machine, for I'm not in right now. Office hours begin at 8 am. Call back later. Bye now!"

With another yawn I rolled back to my right side, and closed my eyes.

"What part of _now_," he growled. "Don't you get?"

I rolled back over to face him again. Man I'm getting sea sick. Woo.

"It's four in the morning, Sunny-Jim, what can I possibly do?"

"Look, _Lady,"_–haha Lady–"I don't care what time it is, let alone what you do or how you do it. Just stop him! For God's sake, do you have any idea what it feels like to have your bones eaten away at? Lettme tell ya–it ain't pleasant. Now, unless you want to end up like the rest of us, I suggest you do something. Anything. _Now._"

And with that he disappeared, leaving me, and my broken lamp, in peace. Well, pieces. The lamp anyway.

With a long sigh, I rolled onto my back and tried to get back to sleep. Tried mind you. You know I _hate_ being a mediator. Shifter. Whatever. I just hate it. Over three hours of sleep gone...GONE!

Pfft. Foam. Pfft.

I lay in bed for three hours, trying to just doze off, before giving in and just waiting for the sun to rise. Meanwhile, I pondered over what exactly I was going to do. I'm good at stealthiness, yes, but I'm no 007. I mean, even if I were Batman or something, going after someone with bone-go-bye-bye power is just wrong...on so many levels. I glanced over at my clock as shades of pink and orange began to paint the sky. Oh yeah the sunrise, I got to witness again. Except without Jesse–which did suck, but oh well. It was still beautiful. Even if my clock was blaring an ugly 6:59 AM at me. Mer. Damn that ghost. Damn him. So much for beauty sleep.

6:59 quickly changed to 7:00, and with a groan I rolled out of bed, still cursing said ghost that woke me. I actually took my time (since I had time) slipping into my pink capris and filmy top. Since I didn't have much energy, I just pulled half my hair back, then applied my normal makeup quota. You know, lip gloss and mascara. Wha-la. Grabbing my backpack and pink flip-flops, I headed to the kitchen, dropping my bag and shoes off at the bottom of the stairs.

"It's official! The world is coming to an end!" my stepbrother Dopey, aka Brad, boomed when I walked into the kitchen.

"Sod off," I narrowed my eyes at him and opened the refrigerator to get the orange juice. At least the one that didn't contain stepbrother back-wash in it.

"Suze Simon, awake! And before 8:00 AM! It's a miracle! Someone, call the press!"

"Brad," Andy, my stepfather, warned as he stood over cooking bacon and eggs.

"Why _are_ you up so early?" Doc–I mean--David, asked from the kitchen table. "It wouldn't have to do with the crash I heard this morning, would it?"

My eyes narrowed upon David. That mini Bill Gates doesn't know when to keep quiet, sometimes, I swear.

"I had a bad dream. That's _all." _My teeth gritted as I spoke. "I must have accidently knocked it over."

"Oh," David's expression suddenly changed as realization dawned upon him. "Oh!"

"Yeah..."

My toast was dry and my bacon greasier than usual–and Max stole one of my eggs...but other than those incidents, breakfast was just peachy.

Again, not.

My mom came in and thought I was sick, or something, because I was awake already. Thus getting me the third degree from her for, like, twenty minutes.

"Are you okay? Are you running a fever?"

"I'm fine, mom."

"Are you sure? I could get you a doctor's appointment..."

"I said I'm fine."

And this is just the beginning of my day! Luckily, things got a little better when Jesse asked me over for dinner. That's right-a date–at 7:00pm. He wouldn't tell me what he's making though.

And of course I queried the whereabouts of his roommate, to which he said she'd be gone...all evening.

_Ex_-cellent.

"You look magnificent, Querida," Jesse smiled at me when he opened his front door. The wonderful aroma of some roast and vegetables immediately flooded my senses. I wasn't hungry on the way over, but now I am. Really hungry.

"As do you," I returned the smiled, and pulled him down for a kiss. Naturally, he obliged, but not for very long. After all, we were still in the doorway–I don't think the neighbors would appreciate watching us make out.

After we pulled apart he took my purse and hung it up, then took my hand and led me to the table. I was right. It was roast. Some mustard and molasses glazed roast.

"Where'd you get the idea for this?" I asked, when I tasted it. I was pretty sure I knew the answer, but still...

"Your stepfather."

Bingo. Man I'm good. Did I mention Jesse's a great cook? Yeah...That's my man. Tall, handsome, a wonderful cook..._alive._ My love life couldn't get any better. Well, almost, if you catch my drift. Ahem.

What? I'm a teenager I have raging hormones! Now, back to the point. I'm babbling.

Ok, he must have spike my roast. This can't be me talking.

Anywho...

My evening was going perfect–delicious dinner, gorgeous boyfriend, the Godfather pt. II (that, not so much, but who cares). That is, until, oh, 9:30pm, when someone started banging on the front door.

"Simon! De Silva! Let me in!"

Paul! What does Paul want? _Other_ than to ruin my life of course. That's just a given.

Jesse got off the couch, where we were 'watching' the movie, and opened the door with a groan. And was nearly run over by Paul, who was dragging Saben in behind him, bound and gagged.

Must she always ruin my life as well? It _so_ figures she would join the dark side with Slater. Though 'joining the dark side' wasn't quite what I was thinking when he drug her over to the couch and forced her to sit down, then undid the gag in her mouth.

"Fuck you, Paul," she growled, once she could speak again. Jesse ignored her cursing and shut the door, then came and took a seat by my confused self.

"Slater, what are you doing here? And why did you tie up my house-mate?"

"Guess where I found her? Go on, _guess!_"he yelled, pacing around the living room. Jesse and I looked at one another and shrugged. " Fine. Tell them!"

"Why? You seem to think you know it all, so you tell them!"

Paul stopped and glared at her, then turned to us.

"She was at Qain's house, you know, the supposed murdering bastard? Yay! And let's just say they weren't _talking_!"

Saben raised an eyebrow at him curiously.

"Actually, that's exactly what we were doing, _thank you _very much."

"I bet."

Reporters usually do talk when they're interviewing, unless their at a Bunny Ranch..." Saben trailed off. "But I wasn't, so you get the point."

"Sure."

"Granted, I had to _pose_ as a reporter from Carmel Times. I asked him about his opinion on the medical epidemic occurring, since, after all, his father was the first and only person in this part of California to be diagnosed and die from the disease."

"What?" I interjected.

"My guess is, Qain's trying to get revenge for his father's death."

"While all of this is _seriously_ interesting, it's not what I was actually talking about," Paul sighed, rather aggravated, then threw himself on the couch by Saben. "Her name _isn't_ Saben, she's _not_ Clive Clemming's niece, _and_ she's not a porter, whatever the hell _that_ is."

"What are you talking about?" came my voice again as I was still utterly confused.

"She's a doppleganger, Suze."

"What?" How many times have I asked that in the last five minutes? Honestly, I'm losing count.

"Saben isn't Saben, Suze. She's you."

* * *

Thanks to everyone who's reading! I'd beg for replies, but I can't make you—my chickens are on a coffee break...(don't ask. Note the way too much caffeine bit).

Sam-


	6. Home, Be Yourself

Hello my lovelys! (everyone stares) I mean...um...Hello my readers! Here is chapter six:

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

The end!

Just kidding. Lol. I'm not _that _mean. Today. Cough.  
This chapter should clear up some stuff. I hope. Sorry its kind of boring–the next chapter shall be more action–butt kicking–packed. Oh and the rating may go up closer to the end. Might throw in a lemon. Mild or not, I have no clue. I've written only one lemon before so...yeah. I have no idea if I can make it all good or not. It would help if my life did not lack said fruit. Meh. Anywho I'll warn everyone before hand.

Thank you all for the reviews! I love them like air!

* * *

Ch 6: Home, Be Yourself

To say I was shocked would be an understatement of the century. If my jaw had dropped any faster I'd probably have whiplash. And it would be _impossible_ to sue _myself _for the pain

"How? How can she be me?"

"Shifters don't just have the ability to shift through time. We can shift to other parallels–different planes of existence," Saben answered, while wriggling a bit.

"Can someone please untie me? I'm getting chaffed here. Not to mention sitting on my hands is putting them to sleep."

Paul reluctantly untied her. She thanked him, with a crude single-fingered gesture, and started rubbing the raw skin on her wrists.

"Again, how?" I asked.

"Look, it's too hard to explain. I'd have to show you."

"Then show us," Paul glared at the rope he held in his hands.

It was because of Paul's statement that less than an hour later, the four of us were inside the Carmel Historical Society, standing in front of a mirror that looked like God himself had probably made it. Or like someone had had sticky fingers around the Harry Potter set. One of the two.

"Yeah," Paul sighed and sat on the desk; the same desk Saben had sat on while she grilled Jesse about body part names. "I'm not really getting anything from your visual explanation."

"Paul, shut up and come here. And don't get any sick ideas over what I'm about to do," Saben ordered. She then grabbed his hand and placed it on her left arm; then proceeded to do the same to Jesse's right hand, and mine. She then beckoned for us to close our eyes and reassured that "This'll only take a second." I couldn't help but peek anyway.  
What? I was curious! Hey, I need to know what to do–it could come in handy someday.  
I watched, quietly, as she reached out and touched the mirror, before closing my eyes again. Suddenly the air around me got very cold. I opened my stealthy eyes again and looked around. My stomach suddenly felt as if it could no longer hold the contents of the dinner I'd eaten not too long ago.  
That's because I knew where we were. And yet, though I recognized the place, it seemed different. Some of the doors lining the walls of the Shadowland had red marks on them, while only one contained the letter H.  
Saben didn't tell us to open our eyes, but soon noticed that we all had anyway. Which is why, when she began to move towards the door labeled H, we all followed her, still holding on to her arm. As she reached out to grab the handle she paused, and turned back towards us.

"As you all know, this is the Shadowland," Saben started slowly, seemingly trying to find the right words to illustrate. "However, this is not the Shadowland you've been to before. This is my Shadowland. Every shifter has their own. It's what allows them to visit different parallels."

And with that she grabbed the knob and flung the door open. Immediately, a blinding white light engulfed us. The next thing I knew, we where back in the Historical Society. Unlike the other office, this one was densely humid and dark. Thick layers of dust covered the floor, and everything that happened to be residing upon it. It was pretty apparent, at least to me, that no one had been in here in a while. A long while.

"Where are we?" Jesse asked, as Saben's arm fell out of my grasp. My vacated hand was soon occupied again, but now by Jesse's large, warm palm. The gesture comforted me, knowing that he was by my side.

"My home."

(8)

"Your home, huh?'Paul leered at the all too familiar desk before him. He gently swept his fingers across the top, collecting hoards of dust. After an amused observation at how thickly covered the room was, he wiped his hand on his Chinos. "To each her own, I suppose."

Saben, I could tell, was suppressing the urge to smack him upside the head. I know, because that's what I felt like doing. However, we choose to ignore him.  
But apparently, though I was with it enough to be aggravated with Paul, I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to notice Saben approach me. That is, until she spoke.

"What's out there is hard to endure, even for the most experienced mediator," she forewarned, before stepping past me. With no idea as to what she was talking about, I trailed behind, curiously, as she headed out the Society, dragging Jesse with me. Paul, too, followed suit, this time without voicing every opinion that popped into his head.

As I stepped outside and looked around, Saben's words echoed through my mind. There were cars abandoned along the streets; lights in shops and homes remained on, some flashing from wear; the sky was desolate of all illumination, not even the moon was there to glisten; the ocean crashing upon the shore of Carmel beach sounded eerie rather than soothing. But of all the things that seemed wrong, one thing stood out the most. One thing we all noticed.

There was no one around.

The usual tourist clad beach was empty; homes remained with lights on, for there was no one to turn them off; cars were forsaken because no one was around to reside in them. Everyone was gone.

"This," Saben uttered quietly, still dragging her feet along the lonely road before us. "This is why I left my home. This is why I came to your world. Not to pose as someone I'm not. Not to make up lies about my history. I came to your world to stop him."

"Who?" I asked, coming up beside her. All emotion she'd had before seemed to drain from her tone.

"The one the ghosts heed you about."

"Qain?"

An abrupt gust of air surged by, throwing her loose chestnut hair into her face. Mine was pulled back casually, saving me from the hassle of pushing the stray hair behind my ears, as she had to. As she regrouped her locks, she nodded.

"Qain Paquin was the most powerful shifter I'd ever met. He brought father here in hopes of finding a doctor that could save him, but he was too late. After his father died, he began contemplating revenge. And once he found the perfect retaliation, he struck, taking everyone around him down,"she revealed as she walked towards the nearest car. The three of us watched as she got in and tried to start the automobile, but to no avail. After hitting the steering wheel and saying a few choice words, she got back out and continued towards the next car on the road.

"He arrived his senior year in high school and began attending the Mission Academy. That's where we first met. He knew what Paul and I were from the start, but never suspected Father Dominic. At the time Paul and I were...Look. In my reality, Jesse is still a ghost. Instead of shifting through time with me, he died in the fall from the barn. From there, things changed. Jesse stressed his concerns of me needing a boyfriend my parents could actually meet, and to prove his point, broke off certain..relations with me. So, I did as he wanted; I got myself someone I could introduce to my parents.." She paused and glanced at Paul, then went back to trying start the second car we'd come upon, which didn't want to work either.

"I never stopped loving Jesse, but it was what he wanted," she slammed the door to the SUV she'd been in shut and stomped down the road, with us still following like obedient puppy dogs.

"Anyway, Paul and I had been dating for two years before Qain came along. I'd pushed off advances from Qain on more than one occasion, telling him I was already taken and to back off. Needless to say, when he went on his homicide spree, Paul was one of the first to go. Even after he made me witness Paul's murder, he still tried to convince me that we'd be perfect together. Two shifters against the world. Let's just say I didn't entertain that idea as much as he did. In a few of his persuasion speeches, he mentioned parallel shifting. That's how when he started to jump planes, I went after him."

Finally, after approaching a third vehicle and trying it, a red Camaro that looked much like Sleepy's–I mean, Jake's, she found a vehicle that would start. Paul and Jesse climbed into the back, while I sat up front with...well, myself. As I shut the door, the faint smell of pizza and cologne made me realize something. This didn't jus _look_ like my stepbrother's, Jake, car. It _was_ Jake's car.  
Trying not to think about the inevitable, I turned around to see if Jesse or Paul realized what I had. Jesse's gaze immediately met mine, as I looked back. His normal calming eyes seemed tense and full of grief, like he understood what I did, but didn't want to say anything. Paul, meanwhile, was to preoccupied playing with a piece of fuzz on the back of my seat to notice me. Typical Paul. Pfft.

"I'm sorry if I've hurt or offended any of you. It was never suppose to be this way. I was suppose to stop Qain, this time, before anyone got hurt. But as you can tell, things didn't quite go to plan."

"You could have just told us the truth, you know," I mentioned as casually as I could. This received me a look from Saben that suggest I was off my trolley.

"Really?" she asked, amused. "And what was I suppose to do? Go up to you and say "Hey Suze! I'm your alternate self from a plane of existence you've never even imagined! Lookie, I need help stopping a raving lunatic. Think you could help me?" I'd have been taken to the local funny farm faster than you can say mediator."

She did have a point. I probably wouldn't have believed her. I mean, come on, I still wasn't fully convinced that she was...me.

"So. The thing withe Amira an Jacoby?" Jesse inquired, meeting Saben's gaze in the rear view mirror.

"All bull," she sighed loudly, as she turned onto the street that lead to my house. The road that I'd been on so many times before, but here barely recognized. "They knew what I needed from them and they agreed to help. It was just another part in securing my false identity. Well, until someone had to go and ruin it for me."

She shifted her sight from Jesse to Paul. Still, Paul seemed to intrigued by the fuzz to look up. Or he was purposefully ignoring her. Maybe even a bit of both.  
Within minutes we'd pulled up in front of my house. Saben turned off the car and climbed out, signaling for us to get out as well. She helped Jesse out of her side, while I moved my seat for Paul who finally seemed to come out of his trance. The four of moved in single file into the house and up the stairs. From what I could tell, the house was the same, at least from the entrance to the upstairs hall it was. Once at my bedroom door, Saben turned back to us, nervously sticking her hands in her jean pockets.

"Could you guys wait here for a second?"

"Of course," I answered. I knew why she needed time. There was probably a ghost on the other side of the door who hadn't seen her in a long time. One that I knew would be grateful she was still alive. With one last look at my Jesse, she entered mine–her—our bedroom, leaving the door open behind her.

"Querida, you're back,"a voice said. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Hector."

'Querida, what's wrong? I'm not Hector to you. I never have been."

"I know that, but you must understand—"

"Susannah, what is wrong?" Hector asked firmly.

"I'm not Susannah. Please, call me Saben," I could hear her pleading. From the sound of it, she was on the verge of tears. I knew she was trying to distinguish a difference between us. Curious, I edged closer to the door, and peered around the corner. I could feel Jesse's hand on my arm, indicating I should back off, but I couldn't. I needed to see.

"What? I..what is wrong, querida? Please."

"Look, you'll understand in a minute, I promise, but for now I'm Saben and you're Hector, okay?"

Saben had her hands resting upon Hector's shoulders, making him look her in the eye. The ghost looked hurt, deeply. It was when I saw that look in his eyes that I knew she really had to be me. Jesse had given me that look before, and it nearly killed me everytime.

"Hector, there's some people I need you to meet."

With that the three of us entered the room, watching as the ghost's eyes widened inquisitively.

"Hector, meet Susannah, Jesse, and Paul."

_To be yourself is all that you can do  
__There's no place like home_

* * *

Yeah. Just so everyone knows, though this is confuzzling in itself, its much easier to understand than Suze 1, Suze 2, Jesse 1, Jesse 2 and so forth: 

Saben is technically Suze/Susannah  
Hector is technically Jesse

That's just to clarify for anyone who hasn't read the books.  
Anywho, I'd have written more but I've had my wisdom teeth out, am in pain and need sleep. So...bear with me please.  
And thank you to everyone who's reading! I love you all like a fat kid loves cake! Platonically mind you, but still 3  
Chapter 7 should be up soon, but don't hold me too that. I'm just hoping it'll be up soon.  
Love, Peace and Alien Probed Acorns

Sam

Ps: Sorry if there are a lot of typos. I couldn't my family computer to load the chapter so I'm trying the laptop. And on the Family comp I founda few typos that I don't remember correcting here. Cuz I'm a nutter. So please don't shoot me! The wisdom teeth were enough torture!

Where's a hot guy when you need one? Sigh


	7. Polyamorous

**Thanks for all the replies! Ya'll rock my socks! This would've been longer, but I felt like leaving a cliff of some kind. Just be thankful I haven't killed anyone important. Yet. Cough. Shifty eyes.**

**

* * *

****Chapter 7: Polyamorous**

"_Querida_ I—_Nombre de Dios_," Hector ran a hand through his short, thick, black hair apprehensively. Jesse, I noticed, had loosened his grip on my arm. When I looked to see why, I was pretty apparent. Shock; seeing ones parallel self does tend to surprise a person. Not that _I _would know.

Snort.

"Are they enough proof, Hector, that parallel shifting is real? Or do you still believe Father Dominic and Slater?"

Hector, who'd begun pacing back and forth, stopped in front of Jesse, giving him the once over. It was almost even humorous when they both muttered "_Nombre de Dios"_ in the same tone, at the same time. _Almost_ humorous, mind you. Dead people kill humor (excuse the pun). And there were supposedly a lot of dead people here.  
Only moving his eyes, Hector then gave me the once—more like twice---over, while Paul received a slight glance.

"Why did you bring them here Su—Saben?" his tone was impassive.

"Well, _someone_"—she threw a glare at Paul—"caught me this time."

"On that note, I've been thinking," Paul chipped his two cents in. Greet. Nothing good ever comes from Paul's thinking. "Why didn't Qain recognize you when you interviewed him? He obviously knows what you look like by now."

Then again, he did make a good point.

"You're kidding right?" Saben eyed Paul like he was three-fries-short-of-a-happy- meal. Paul, however, just made himself more comfortable by taking a seat on my—Saben's bed. "What _do_ you know shifters are capable of?"

"Well, as a shifter I can defend myself, manipulate others into doing what I want, I can make most girls swoon with just a smile—"he grinned at me arrogantly. No, not Saben; me. If he was making reference to anything I'd kill him.

"She meant about shifting in general, Paul, not your personal life," I spat at him. He can be such a pervert, I swear.

"Shifters can shift to the Shadowland and anywhere else they want to, really; travel through time, perform soul transferences, mediate spirits"—Yeah, Paul doesn't mediate, he exorcises ghosts. And if Saben can't see through that, she's seriously…thick."—That kind of stuff."

Saben shook her head sadly. "At least you all aren't too far gone to save."

"What do you mean?" I asked. Hadn't Paul told me everything at those freaking shifter lessons I was blackmailed into taking? If not, so help me God, I'd hack off his "manly jewels." Assuming that he has any.

Cough.

"Shifters can also, as I've mentioned, travel to diverse parallels. But we can also have clairvoyant abilities—psychic you might even say. Rare few shifters have also developed telekinetic and psychokinetic powers."

"Huh?" I was lost.

"Big words meaning 'can read minds' and 'can move objects with the mind.'

"Sweet."

Both Jesse and Hector stared at me oddly for a moment. They seriously need to lingo-fy themselves. I can't be expected to explain _everything_ I say.

"Do you have either of those?" Paul asked, seeming a little jealous.

"No. I was born with a different trait; the gift of mimicking human form. Like that night at Qain's house, I was mimicking CeeCee Webb."

"I see." Said the blind man to the deaf boy who was too busy spitting the wind to notice. Ignore me.

"While I don't have them, I know someone who does."

"Three guesses who," I snorted. What? It was pretty obvious was it not? Or am I just really smart?

"Precisely. Now, Mr. Paquin is extremely talented in the telekinesis department. On the other hand, he's proven to be weak when it comes to moving things with his mind. Most likely because it requires control, and he's pent up with too much anger."

Whoa. Anakin Skywalker much? Speaking of anger, I happen to know someone else who was pent up with it as well. Me.

Turning to Paul, I narrowed my eyes. "If these 'talents' are true, then why didn't you tell me about them, Paul?"

"Like I knew, Simon! I'm just as clueless as you here."

Pfft. Why don't I believe that?

"_Anyway_," Saben interrupted the little 'heart –to-heart' Paul and I had going on, and turned back to Hector. " Like I was saying, I got caught. I brought them here to help explain myself. _And_ so I could ask for your help."

"_Me_? How can I help? I couldn't help you before…" he seemed stunned by her request.

"If we distract him, do you think you can look around his place for the disease? He must have it there, somewhere."

"Of course, _Querida._ If that's what you need, I shall do it."

(8)

After Hector agreed to go with us, there was no point in sticking around. Plus, we'd been educated enough for one day. Any more information and I think my head would explode.

The five of us piled into the Camaro; two in the front, three in the back. Need I say it was a tight fit? Come on, three people—well two people and a ghost—crammed in the back seat is never comfortable. Why Hector didn't just dematerialize is beyond me. Seriously. Maybe he wanted to cause Paul pain. Yeah…that would make sense. A lot actually. Any who, what was even more uncomfortable than the seating arrangements (well at least for Paul, Hector, and Jesse—I was up front with myself) was the unnerving silence all the way back to the Society.

The parallel shifting wasn't all the different either. You know: We grab girl (get your minds out of the gutter), girl shifts, we all wind up in the Historical Society (this time in my…parallel). All that plus one ghost and you get it.

As soon as we were back in the office in my…world, I could tell something was different; something was wrong. Don't ask me how I knew. Maybe it was my shifter instincts kicking into hyper-drive. I don't know. All I _do_ know is something was hinky, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end.

Saben, who was in front of us, held up her hand, signaling for us to stay put. But in the end it wouldn't have mattered if we'd moved or not.

The bulky leather office chair that had always sat behind the desk in Clive's/Saben's office was facing the wall, but it hadn't been when we left. There was no noise, not even the usual hustle and bustle of traffic outside. Jesse, though we were suppose to stay put, stepped closer to me and put his arm around my waist, clutching me to him protectively.  
Just as he had, though, the leather chair swiveled around. The subtle moonlight that shown in through the window had left a shadow cast across the desk, therefore I had to strain my eyes a bit. I was eventually able to make out the silhouette of a human figure. As if out of nowhere a pair of eyes appeared, glowing like a panther's in the dusk. The voice that soon broke the silence was as cold as the eyes. Much like Paul's eyes use to seem to me when I wouldn't give him what he wanted.

"Do you know--" the voice asked. It was deep and defiantly male. Once name came to mind instantly, and not just for me—if Jesse's tightening his grip on me was any indication. Screw doctor, maybe he should be a bodyguard.

Nah.

"—what it feels like to be electrocuted?" I looked up at Jesse; he was glowering at the person speaking.

"Leave them alone," Saben demanded. I then looked behind me. Paul too was glaring at the man. Hector, on the other hand, seemed to have disappeared. Lucky him. The man ignored her and went on.

"A little like this."

I felt a surge of heat and pain shoot through me and I fell to my knees. I heard a thump behind me, but couldn't work up the oomph to see what it was. Jesse had also let go of me, leaving me to fend on my own strength. My balance began wavering as my vision started to tunnel. I did my best to stay focused, keep my eyes open, honestly. But I wasn't strong enough. Especially after another surge enveloped me. Instantly I fell, leaving everything to the shadows.

* * *

**Well, then. May the force be with you to hit the little purple button...or may the force be with the button to hit you for not replying! Joke...I kid..I kid.**

**Again I'll do my bestestestestest...ok that's not a word but I think you get my point...to post more soon. Especially since part of chapter eight is already written. Go me. Lol. **

**•Sam•**


	8. Can't Repeat

Ello, ello. I know it's taken me forever and a nut shell to post. Writer's block sucks monkey doesn't it? Yeah, I should know. I've had it for weeks. Sorry if it reads like I have. Drag me out back and shoot me with a hair dryer. Sigh. It also doesn't help I got married two days ago. Yup. I now have a cyber wife, Sofie. Lol. Sorry, we're little weirdos. Well, I am.

Thanks to **Mrs. Nikki Slater, maritinkerbell, Ivory Nightshade,** & last but _definitely _not least, **Angelic Chocolate Fairy (and her future husband. Heehee.)**. You all rock! Reviews always make my day. :D

Now, on to the big **disclaimer/spoiler**. As many of you who have read Twilight will know,** there is an excerpt in here belonging to Meg Cabot, from Twilight**. I give her full credit. It's the flashback of Jesse's near death. All hell that breaks loose after her initial writing is mine though. Go me. Woot.

Now, onto the show. Enjoy. I hope it doesn't suck feet. (Lol, Paul)

**

* * *

****Chapter 8: Can't repeat**

_It's all her fault. If she was just honest with us to begin with, we wouldn't be in this mess. I swear, right now, if murdering weren't illegal I wouldn't be able to control myself. _

The floor I'm on is cold, wet, and hard and the air is deathly humid. "Where am I?" you ask. No freaking clue. All I know is it's dark...really, really dark. So dark I can't even see my hand in front of my face, let alone the other people here with me.

You see? I wasn't fibbing. It is_ technically_ Qain's fault, I know, but still. Honesty is the best policy when dealing with a psychopathic murderer.

I don't know how long I was out cold. Maybe hours, maybe days. When I woke up I realized one thing straight away—I was in pain. A lot of pain. Everywhere.

Let me tell you, being electrocuted is no picnic. Avoid electrocution at all costs. It's worse than a concussion. Believe, I should know.

I slowly opened my eyes. At least I think I did. Like I said before, it was seriously dark. From my right came a slapping sound, as if something was smacking the stone floor. The sound crept closer and closer. Suddenly something hit me in the face. I did what sane shifter would do. I sunk my teeth into whatever it was.

What? It was dark and I freaked!

"OWW!" someone yelled. Oops. It was Saben.

"Sorry, " I apologized meekly. The bitter taste of blood had dripped onto my tongue. Using my shirt, I wiped the blood from my lips. A flash back to Red Beaumont entered my mind, and I couldn't help smiling to myself.

"It's okay," she replied. From her tone, it was through gritted teeth. "I like your thinking. Should anything else move, you…bite it in the hand. Assuming it has one."

I laughed in spite of myself. Again there was slapping sound.

"Do you really think that's wise?" I laughed.

Before she could answer a groan came from my left, followed by what I assume was cursing—in Spanish. Rapid, incoherent Spanish cursing.

"Jesse? Are you okay?" I asked, and began feeling around, trying to find him.

"_Querida_?" he answered rather quietly. "Am…am I blind?"

"No, Jesse, it's just dark," I answered miserably.

"Then where are we? What's going on?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly, Saben shrieked, "PAUL!" Her outburst was followed by deep chuckling, which I could tell was from the accused.

"That's what you get for having frisky hands."

"What's going on over there?" I inquired. I would kill for a flashlight right now.

"He—I—argh! He's a pervert!" Saben groaned in disgust.

"She grabbed my ass," Paul's chortled.

"Slater," Jesse warned. "Now is definitely not the time for your antics."

I didn't say anything. I mean, what do you say to something like that? Grow up? We're talking _Paul _here—it's to be expected.

"Do that again and you'll lose whatever I grab, got it?" she threatened. "Now—" her tone lightened substantially—" Is anyone hurt?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Every inch of me hurts like hell."

"That's a side effect of mild electrocution. I'm talking gashing flesh wounds, broken bones, or something along those lines."

No one had a chance to reply. A sudden light filled the room, nearly blinding me. It took my eyes a few seconds to adjust before I realized it was Hector.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked worriedly. I refrained from saying what went through my mind, mainly because it wasn't very nice. Not that I am or anything. Pfft.

"We'll live, Hector," Saben responded while looking around the room. Room isn't a very good word for it. The entire "room' was circular with walls made of stone. Opposite of us was a large, steel, no doubt, locked door. The floor had a large hole in the middle of it that appeared to be horrifically deep. I was afraid to get to close to it. From where I was I could hear splashing sounds from within along with high-pitched squeaks.

_Rats._

I could have died right there. How did I not notice them earlier? Oh yeah, we were talking. The talking probably dulled the squeaking vermin.

There were no chains or lights or anything in the room. Just the floor, the nasty rats, and us. As I strained to see into the revolting pit another thought popped into my mind.

_The Ring._

I watched that movie with Jesse a few weeks ago and it scared the crap out of me! The cavity in the floor looked a lot like the well that freaky chick crawled out of before killing people.

Great. Just _great_, Suze. Way to freak yourself out here.

I quickly scooted closer to Jesse and the wall. The zombie shall not get me first! Assuming she's actually in there. Most likely I'm just paranoid.

_Scoot scoot._

"Have you found anything yet?" Saben asked, watching me scoot away from the pit. One of her eyebrows—the pierced one—was raised in amusement.

"No. He came home before I could fully search his house."

"Damn it."

"I'm sorry, _Querida_, I'm trying but—"

"That wasn't directed at you, Hector. It's fine. Just…keep looking," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. With a curt not he began to dematerialize, but swiftly fluttered back.

"_Querida_, have you tried shifting out of here?" he asked with one of those illegible looks of his.

"It won't work."

"Why not?" Paul asked bemusedly.

"I've already tried and I can't. He has our minds barred from shifting."

"I'll try and find a way out for you," Hector said pointedly.

"No. Keep looking for the disease. We'll be fine."

With another nod, he dematerialized, this time for good, leaving the room pitch black. Damn! Now I wont be able to see Samara coming. That's it. No more scary movies. Cartoons all the way for Simon over here.

My heart rate speed up, causing my pulse to pound in my head. I could hear footsteps. They were coming closer and closer. There was rattling outside the door. I could hear the knob turning.

Since when did Samara use the freaking door?

I nearly screamed at the silhouette in the doorway. Light again filled the room, but this time was from a lantern. Qain came into the room carrying not only that but a stun gun as well. Gee, I guess he doesn't trust us.

Snort.

If judging by his looks, you'd never guess he was evil. From his thick black hair and icy blue eyes, to the tan skin that covered his well-built figure he screamed handsome. He even dawned a little manly stubble. I don't think if I were off killing people I'd remember to shave either.

He vaguely reminded me of someone I knew—someone who just happened to be in the room. I'll give you a hint, it was of the male persuasion and wasn't Jesse. Both had that arrogance about them as if they were better than everyone else.

"Well, well, well," he smirked and set the lantern down. His voice was just as deep and frigid as before. "What have I caught myself this time?"

He eyed each of us carefully. Jesse seemed to intrigue him the most. Hmm. Maybe he's gay. Or bi. Either way, Jesse is taken.

"Oh my," Qain cooed pleasantly. "What do we have here? Jesse, isn't it? Yes. Can't say I've seen you quite so—_alive_ before."

He clicked his tongue then walked over to Saben, and squatted before her.

"After all the parallels we've been to, this is the first where he's alive. It must be eating you up inside, knowing _he_ lived while _your_ precious Jesse died."

My fists involuntarily clenched. Saben didn't say a word, but glared at him. He then focused his bitter eyes on me.

"And you—did you ever stop to think about what it would have felt like to watch him die, knowing it was all _your_ fault?"

"Don't answer him, Suze. That's what he wants. He feeds off pain," Saben begged. I did as I was told and remained quiet.

"I think I should enlighten Susannah on the kinds of things she's been sheltered from here. What do you say, love?" he asked, taking a seat beside Saben and placing his fingers on her temples.

"Don't."

But he did anyway. My eyes reluctantly snapped shut then opened again. Jesse and I were at the hospital after I'd brought his body back with me through time. I was trying to explain what had transpired back when I was in 1850. Yes, you read that right. 1850.

And though it was me that was explaining everything, it wasn't me. I wasn't controlling the words, or thoughts. They were just happened. Like I was living them from a past point of view.

Which I guess I was suppose to be doing. So I could understand. Understand the pain I'd never experience. Understand why Saben was the way she was.

_

* * *

Jesse finally looked at me like he was really seeing me, maybe for the first time since he'd come into the room._

_"You really went back?" He stared at me. "To the past? My past?"_

_I nodded. What was there to say?_

_He shook his head. "And Paul? I went to the basilica to look for him, but he was gone. You followed him?"_

_I nodded again._

_"I wanted to stop him," I said. "From…from keeping you from dying. But in the end…I couldn't, Jesse. It wasn't right. What Diego did to you. I couldn't let it happen again. So, I told you. And you killed him. You killed Diego. But then there was the fire and…" I looked down at the figure in the bed. I couldn't stifle a sob. "And now I think this is good-bye. I'm sorry, Jesse. I'm so, so sorry."_

_My vision clouded over again with tears. I couldn't believe any of this was happening. I had always thought of my "gift" as a curse, but never, never had I hated it as much as I did just then. I wished I had never heard of mediators. I wished I had never seen a single ghost. I wished I had never been born._

_Then I felt Jesse's hand on my cheek._

_"**Querida**," he said._

_He placed his other hand on the bed to balance himself as he leaned across it to kiss me. One last kiss before he was ripped for me forever. I closed my eyes, anticipating the feel of those cool lips against mine. Good-bye, Jesse. Good-bye._

_His mouth had barely touched mine, however, when I heard him gasp. He jerked his head from mine and looked down._

_His hand had touched his living body's leg._

_Something seemed to jolt through him, then. He flared more brightly for a second, his gaze on mine more intense than it had ever been in all the time I'd know him._

_And then he was sucked down into his body, like smoke pulled into a fan._

_And he was gone._

_Oh his body was still there. But the ghost of Jesse –the ghost I had loved—was gone. In his place was…._

_Nothing. I reached out, desperate to grab some small piece of him, but my hand clutched only air._

_Jesse was gone. He was truly gone. He was back inside the body he'd left so long ago….the body that, even as I watched, shuddered all over as if to reject the soul that had just entered it…._

_Then went as still as death._

_I knew then what had happened. Jesse's body had come forward through time, yes. But not his soul, because two souls could not exist in the same dimension. Jesse's body had been without a soul just as, for so many years, Jesse's soul had been without a body._

_Now the two were united at last…_

_But too late. And now I was going to lose them both._

_I don't know how long I must have stood there, holding Jesse's hand, gazing at him in utter despair. Long enough, I know, that Father Dominic came back and said, "Don't worry, Susannah, it's all taken care of. Jesse will get the test he needs."_

_"It doesn't matter," I murmured, still holding his hand…. his cold hand._

_"Don't give up hope, Susannah,' Father Dominic said. "Never give up hope."  
And that's when I heard a sound that made my heart stop-my, blood run cold, my soul die. A high-pitched beep echoing through the room. I looked to see where it was coming from, and found it was one of the machines hooked up Jesse; the one measuring his pulse. There was a straight horizontal line running across the screen with a large zero flashing above it. It took me a moment to understand what it all meant._

_Jesse wasn't dying. He was dead._

_I stood there, staring at the spiteful screen, feeling myself become numb. So numb that I didn't even notice the four nurses who'd come into the room and we're trying to defibulate Jesse back to life. So numb that I didn't even feel Father Dominic place a comforting hand on my shoulder. So numb that I couldn't even muster up any more tears to cry._

_All I could think was "Jesse's dead. He's really dead. I killed him. I killed the man I love.'_

_I watched in silence as they continued to defibulate him, each time with no avail. Finally, after four failed attempts, they called it. Time of death 9.52 PM._

_Time of death._

_The words burned my ears as they echoed in my mind, growing more malicious each time. **Time of death.** My head was swimming with emotions. Sadness. Loneliness. Regret. Guilt. But only one consumed me._

_Anger._

_Suddenly, Father Dom's hand felt like a weight trying to hold me down. I shrugged his hand off me and stormed out of the room, utterly livid. There was someone I had to find._

_And there he was, in the waiting room, slouching in a plastic, ER chair._

_"Suze, what's up? How's he—"_

_"You," I growled and lunged at him, knocking him out of his seat and to the floor._

_"Suze, what the—"_

_I'd straddled his chest and pinned his arms down with my knees, while my hands wrapped around his throat._

_"I told you to leave him alone, but no. You just had to go back and save him. But now he's dead anyway. And now, you're going to join him," I continued, my grip on his neck increasing. Paul, who'd been stunned by my trouncing him, had heard every word I'd said, and his eyes widened. Father Dominic was trying to pull me off of him, but I wouldn't budge. So Paul took his own actions by flipping me onto my back and crushing me with his body._

_"He's dead?" he wheezed. By now I was trying to stop crying (when did that start again?), and attempting to wiggle my way out from underneath him. Neither was working. Finally I gave into the tears and Paul squashing me. "Oh God."_

_"Happy now, Paul? Jesse's out of the picture just like you always wanted. Was it freaking worth it?" I cried as I beat my fists into his sturdy chest. Only I didn't say freaking._

_"I wanted him gone, yes. But I never wanted you to watch him die, Suze. I would never do that to you."_

_Security had been called and this burly officer pulled Paul to his feet. He looked sincere but I still didn't believe him. Paul, I mean._

_Father Dominic had Paul drive me home, after we'd found out when the body would be ready for burial. I refused to be in the same vehicle as Paul until the good father pointed out that we'd both arrived in the same car, so it was only logical. Paul kept glancing over at me as he drove me home, but I wouldn't look at him. I was breathing the same air as him—that was torture enough._

_"Suze, I truly am sorry," he said, as he pulled into my driveway and turned off my mom's car. He sounded genuine, he really did. But I was still to numb to care._

_"You might as well take my tears and put them on ice. As long as you're around, I'll be needing them."_

_With that I took the keys and got out of the car. I went the my house, not bothering to look back when Paul called my name. I know it's wrong of me, but at the time, I'd hope he'd be run over by a semi on the way home. And that the semi would back up and run him over a few more times, just for a good measure._

_After replacing my mom's car keys on the hook, I went up stairs, took a shower, contemplated drowning myself in the shower, and then finally crawled into bed. But as tired as I was, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't even think of sleeping. So I just resorted to hunching myself into a ball and crying. Crying and apologizing to thin air, hoping Jesse would somehow hear me._

_I must have said something right in my apologizes, for I suddenly felt a pair of strong arms surround me. I opened my tear saturated eyes. Jesse was next to me on the bed, hugging me tightly. For a minute I thought it was a dream, that Jesse hadn't really died. But then I realized he conveyed the same aura he'd once worn for 150 years. The same aura only ghosts emit ._

_My tears started flowing freely again. But this time, at least, I wasn't alone._

* * *

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain pierce my neck and everything, once again, went black. Admittedly, I am not afraid of the dark. But it is seriously started to get on my nerves, being in the dark all the time. I mean that both literally and figuratively.

When I finally could see again, it was still dark. But this time, instead of being in a dark, pit laden room, I was on the beach. And I was wet. And getting slapped in the face.

"Suze."

Someone was saying my name. Probably the person slapping me. I adjusted my eyes onto them and tried to sit up. Ow, still sore.

"Suze, wake up."

"I ummmmm aaaake."

"Susannah."

"What's going on?" Man my throat was dry. I was freaking wet, but my throat was dry. Go figure. "Why am I wet?"

"Paul threw water on you to try and rouse you."

"Arouse me?" I mumbled. My head was starting to pound. _Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Rouse you, _Querida_. Come on now, up we go," Jesse said softly, helping me to my feet. "Paul, could you go wake Saben, please?"

Paul nodded, I think. Most people's heads go up then down then back up again when they nod. Usually.

Jesse was leading us over to where Paul was, me staggering the entire way. Saben didn't need as much effort to wake. It may possibly have been because she was already awake. Therefore, no effort at all.

"What's that?" I heard Paul ask. The pounding in my head was starting to dull, making it easier to concentrate.

"It's a note," she replied quietly. "From Qain."

"What does it say?"

"I'm going to go find the car," she said and stood up, thrusting the paper at Paul.

"Well, what does it say?" I asked, after he'd skimmed over it. He didn't answer, but urged the note into my hands, then followed after Saben. Jesse, I could tell, was reading over my shoulder.

_Wondering why I didn't kill you all, love?  
__It would take away from my fun.  
__Besides, I enjoy watching you suffer._

* * *

Dun dun dun. Lol. Now review. And if you won't do that, then the least you can do is free the lobsters. Please. Especially the one's with mustaches. Heehee.

I shall try and work on/get Chapter 9 up soon.

•Sam• aka Samster• 


	9. Love to let you down

**Thanks to _Mrs. Nikki Slater, maritinkerbell, Be My Penguin, Little TinkerBell Girl, Ivory Nightshade, I is Human Banana, xoMirollie246_, and _Angelic Chocolate Fairy_ for reviewing! I appreciate the reviews, so thank you. I'm sorry I've taken so long to get Chapter 9 finished. I'm horrible, I know. Sue my jar of almonds.**

**_Angelic Chocolate Fairy_**:** Don't have nightmares! Have dreams about your yummy future hubby! I know I do. Thank goodness for my clone machine, eh? Heehee. Clones may not be the original, but are still hot.**

**_XoMirollie246:_ Yeah, sorry I made it all confusing. I changed my plot between chapter 4 and 5, so chapter four became kind of pointless, but was already up, so I had to work it in somehow. So...yeah. I do that too much, I know. I apologize. I'm trying to stop, it's a bad habit. I'm glad you like it anyway, though!**

**_I is Human Banana:_ Interesting name. I like it. And thank you very much. I appreciate the compliments. And of course, long reviews always rock. I have a tendency to babble or stray from the topic when I review...heehee. And I'm glad you like the alternate Twilight scene. That was hard. I hated killing Jesse. And no, Qain isn't AU Paul. Paul died in the AU reality with everyone else Suze/Saben loves (sniff, I hated killing him too.)**

**And actually I didn't find 'the Ring"that scary. Actually I found it kind of boring. Heh. And I haven't seen the sequel yet. I don't even know if I want to. Hmmm.**

**_Be My Penguin x3:_ An obsession with the Muffin Man, eh? Sweet. I have an obsession with hot, shirtless guys. We won't go into that, though. evil cackle Ahem. **

**So finally, without further ado, Chapter Nine. **

**Ch 9: Love to let you down**

I don't know why I did it, but I kept the note. I read it over and over again after I got home and showered. After much heated argument, Saben finally "convinced" Paul we should all go our separate ways until Hector found the disease. Paul, however, thought we should stick together. And while I agreed with him, crawling into my _own _bed was nice after such a strenuous evening. According to my clock (not that I could believe it) I'd only been gone roughly four hours; therefore I was home shortly after curfew. Andy bought my excuse of traffic by the hospital. Which relieved me, seeing as to I didn't have it in me to argue about anything. Being electrocuted/stun gunned takes a lot out of a girl.

Even so, I awoke about three hours later. My room was mildly lit; not by stars, but rather by the aura of a visitor. She was sitting in my window, much like Jesse use to when he was a ghost. You know, staring off into the distance with a peaceful look on their face? Yeah. That.

The ghost didn't seem to want my help. If anything, she seemed content the way she was. But she was interrupting my sleep. Which is possibly why I came off sounding ruder than I meant to be.

"What do you want?" I croaked. My throat was seriously dry. Does that mean I drool a lot? Ew. Whatever.

"I am here by request,"she answered softly, not bothering to look at me.

"Whose request?"

"Saben's."

"Right," I tried to sit up, but it deemed a challenge when pain shot from my head to my feet. Bad move, Suze. Bad move. Gah.

"She has ghosts watching all of you."

"All of us? Why?" I yawned.

"To make sure you are safe. And so she can warn you when she needs you."

"Great. I'm gonna"–yawn–"go back to sleep now."

And then I did just that. Ok, so I probably passed out, in all reality, from pain. But minor detail.

Which would explain, why when I woke up, it was Sunday. According to my mom, both she, Andy, and Doc–I mean David, had tried to wake me, but I wouldn't budge. It didn't help that I was still sore as hell. Sore, for what would be another four days. Oddly enough, for four days no one else became infected.

I called Jesse everyday to see if they'd learned anything. Other than he was being stalked by a ghost named Jacoby. My "protector" was Amira. Jesse said he met her when Saben was still Saben and not...me. Um, yeah. I only semi got it myself. Paul called me and complained (at first), about his ghostly companion. But when he realized the ghost wasn't going to leave, he gave up, and decided to play cards with him. Which I admit, disturbed me. This was very un-Paul like. He's normally a "I'll exorcize your ass then!" type; Not the "cigar and cards" type. But then I found out "he" was a "she" and that was enough to know why Paul wasn't being so Paul-ish. Maybe now he'd understand why I choose Jesse over him.

For two days life was uneventful. School was boring, home was boring, Jesse's kisses were still heaven...ahem. Nothing new. Until Wednesday.

Father Dominic was escorting Adam to his car, after a healthy discussion about how one more detention would get him suspended, when out of nowhere, a black blazer barreled down on them. And didn't miss.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" I gasped when I walked into the ER room. I rode in the ambulance with Father Dom (after telling a few white lies about him being my uncle cough), but the nurses made me stay in the waiting room once we got there. Jesse arrived a half an hour later, looking rather pale. A little over two hours later, we were aloud to see them.

"Hey, Suze," Adam smiled from the bed, where he lay with his leg in a sling. His face and arms were covered with scabs and his lift wrist was covered with a cast. "Come to kiss me and make me feel all better?"

I relaxed a little at his calmness. "Very funny, McTavish."

But then I saw that Father Dom's bed was hidden by a curtain.

"How is he?" I whispered.

"Little make up, and new hair do, some hot babes and he'll be good as new."

"Adam."

"Fine, fine! I swear. My humor is so wasted," he rolled his eyes. "I overheard my nurse, who is a babe by the way, tell another nurse that he broke some ribs and has a head injury. That's why he won't wake up.

"He won't wake up?" Jesse asked from behind me.

"No, that's why the curtain is closed."

Father Dom was intentionally hurt and someone has to pay. But who, I don't know. Anyone would be good right now. I mean, at least Adam can talk to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed that he's hurt, just not _as_ hurt.

Jesse and I visited with Adam for a few more minutes before we had visitors. Mind you, only Jesse and I could see them. Jesse directed them to a corner where Adam couldn't see him, and could listen to what the apparitions had to say.

"Does your boyfriend always talk to himself like that?" Adam asked me with a smile. I guess even if he couldn't see Jesse, he could hear him.

"Of course. It's a major turn on for me, you know," I smirked back. Jesse turned away from the ghosts and whispered in my ear.

"It's time."

It didn't hit me at first what he meant. Usually "its time" means someone's having a baby. But I don't know any pregnant people, so that was ruled out. But then it struck me.

The antidote had been located.

Within twenty minutes we were at Jesse/Saben's house. Paul was already there and waiting on the porch. I wondered why Saben hadn't let him in, but then realized her car wasn't there so she probably wasn't home (Duh, I know).

"Where's Saben?" I asked no one in particular.

"I don't know, she only called me and said to meet you all here," Paul stood up as Jesse unlocked the front door. I followed Jesse inside and took a seat on the couch. The same couch I'd made out on with Jesse, only a few days ago. Paul took a seat in one of the arm chairs, while Jesse got us drinks (soda, people...so-duh). He'd just handed me my diet Coke when the front door burst open and in stormed Saben, looking like hell. Her hair was a mess, her shirt was on inside out, and she looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"I'm going to go take a shower," she muttered and headed for the stairs.

"What the hell happened to you?" Paul demanded as she threw a bag she had with her down by the door.

"None of your damn business," she snapped.

"What do you mean none of my bus–"

"I was taking one for the fucking team, okay Paul!" she yelled, then took off up the stairs, two at a time. Paul got out of his chair and preceded to follow her when a hand, out of nowhere, pulled him back down.

"Not now, Slater," Hector growled. His expression was stony and agitated. Something was wrong. "She's had a trying couple of days and doesn't need your snide ass remarks to add to it."

Whoa. Hector said ass. Man he must be pissed. I've never heard Jesse say that before. At least not in English. Heh.

"What has she done that's been so trying, huh? A bake sale? A garage sale? A car wash–"

"She kept Qain busy while I looked for the disease, alright!" he growled once again, his grip on Paul's shoulder tightening substantially. The house shook a bit with the force of Hector's rage.

"What do you mean she kept him busy? Screw him?" he laughed sarcastically. The house shook even harder. A few pictures on the wall fell off, and the windows rattled in the panes.

"She fucked that bastard?" Paul yelled.

"Oh god," I whispered.

Oh man. I wouldn't have been able to...and then done it again..and...THAT. I mean, with Jesse, eventually, yeah. But with a ruthless killer, no matter how good looking he is? Hell no. That's just way to creepy. Geez.

No one complained that Saben took nearly and hour in the shower. No one said anything when she came down stairs with her skin looking red and raw from scrubbing and scalding her skin. No one said anything about her slight wobble either.

"Hector found te disease," she informed quietly, as she took a seat in the arm chair beside Paul's. I could tell from the puffiness of her eyes she'd been crying in the shower. "It's in a cave down at Big Sur. He has it booby-trapped in case anyone should try and go in and steal the vials. We'll have to compensate for the weight to prevent him for being alerted."

We all nodded but avoided eye contact with her. Well, the others did. I couldn't help myself. I had to. And when I did, she seemed to break.

"I know you all think badly of me for what I did. Well, more so than before," she sniffed. "But I did what I had to do in order for this to work. At least it wasn't in vain right?" she faked a small laugh in between escaped tears. Silence ensued for a few minutes as she tried not to cry. Paul was at least considerate enough to hand her a tissue. I was about to muster up something comforting to say when my cell phone went sounded.

"Hello?" I asked curiously. Who could be calling? It was too early for Andy to be griping about me being late for dinner. My mom was still at work. Jesse was here with me so—

"Susannah Simon?"

"Yes."

"This is Laura Benley from Carmel Hospital. I'm calling in regards to your uncle."

My breath caught in my throat. "What about him? Is he okay?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news," she continued on with words that cut so deep with pain that I couldn't breath. I dropped the phone on the floor. Muffled "Hellos" could be heard coming from the carpet. Jesse picked and hung up the phone for me.

"Susannah?" his soothing voice said as he put his hand on mine. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Not to them.

Not to me.

"Susannah, please."

"It's begun hasn't it?" I looked at Saben, tears now staining my cheeks. She didn't even ask what I was talking about. It was like she already knew.

"Susannah."

I averted my attention to Jesse. His face was contorted with worry as he looked into my eyes, searching for the answers.

"Father Dom and Adam–" I paused to compose myself. "They've been infected."


	10. Ghost of You

To anyone who even remembers/was reading this story: Hello! I'm back from the dead! Well, kind of. I just had this idea sixth hour, on Friday the 13th (creepy), and I wrote this chapter in class. It's short. Shorter than the rest (except maybe the first one) and I know that. I'm sorry. But I achieved what I wanted in this one.

I have no idea when the next one will be up. If I have a stroke of genius (snort) then I might pop something up. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine (I'm pathetic, I know :D)  
Anywho, thanks for sticking w/ this.

I'm dedicating this chapter to **bbblfl**. Because not only is she a brilliant writer, but just rocks in general. (Not that the rest of you don't...)  
Hopefully this doesn't suck terribly. On with the show.

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**Ch 10: Ghost of You**

"_Father Dom and Adam–" I paused to compose myself. "They've been infected."_

It took a snack break and a lot of arguing before we finally came up with a plan. Jesse and Paul were to go stay with Father Dominic and Adam in the hospital. Saben, Hector, and I were going after the antidote. Afterwards, we'd meet the others at the hospital, administer the antidote, and then take on Qain.

Piece of cake, right?

Hahaha.

No.

That's why I would just like to take this time to say; I. Hate. Heights. _Hate_ them. Heights and I...we just do not click. Not at all.

So when we arrived at the location of the cave, it's no wonder why my dinner tried to creep back up my throat.

"Whoa."

I gaped up at the bluff before me. The cave entrance was about 150 feet up, with only a narrow path to get to it.

"No kidding," Saben sighed next to me, as she pulled on the jacket she's brought. She looked about as thrilled as I felt. Which isn't saying much.

"_We_ have to go up _that?_" I asked in dismay, still staring at the cliff. I know I sounded scared, but come on. Jumping out my window is one thing. Climbing up a creepy bluff, with the ocean snarling like a monster waiting for it's prey to fall, is another.

"No. _I'm_ going. _You're _staying down here. In case anything goes wrong."

She didn't sound too happy at the prospect, and frankly I couldn't blame her. Like I said, heights and I are a no go.

"Why can't Jes–_Hector_ just bring it down to us?"

"He's already tried," she sighed heavily. "But he couldn't. Qain has some device that disrupts a ghosts frequency. They can't touch solid matter when near the device."

"Right," I said, not pressing any further. I took a seat on a boulder next to us. There were tons of them scattered along the beach near the cliff. Needless to say, being surrounded by these boulders made the scene even more ominous. Think about looking down from a cliff and seeing those things waiting for you. It reeks 'inevitable doom.'

"I'll just wait here for you, then."

Saben gave me a smirk that reminded me of Paul. You know, half amused, half disgusted. That one. Then again she dated Paul, so why wouldn't some of him rub off on her.

Ok. That sounded_ really_ wrong.

Nervously, she trudged her way up the path. She'd been doing just fine until about half way up, a hefty breeze came off the ocean, causing her to nearly lose her balance. I watched her clutch onto the cliff and flatten herself against it to keep from getting blown away. As she started on again, I found that I felt like I was choking. No one was strangling me; I'd been holding my breath. I guess you don't have to actually be the one scaling the heights to feel the effects from them. Heh.

As I let out the withheld breath, Hector materialized beside me.

"She'll be okay," he looked down at me with his dark eyes. They seemed identical to my Jesse's, yet still so different. Jesse's were loving and warm, while Hector's were more pained and lamentable.

"I know," I said quietly and turned back to watch Saben. She'd made it to the top in one piece.

"And yet, something still bothers you, Susannah."

After watching her disappear into the cave, I answered him.

"What if this doesn't work. What if they die anyway?"

I'd been wondering this ever since we'd been informed that Father Dom and Adam were infected. After all, Saben had never found the antidote before. Just because they found it this time, doesn't mean it was going to work.

I am _such_ a negative person.

"Then it is meant to be," he replied sadly. "One can only change fate so much."

I was about to respond when I heard a scream. It was barely audible over the wind, but I still heard it. And from the look on Hector's face, he'd heard it too.

He muttered a curse in Spanish that burned even my non-comprehending hears, before dematerializing.

I jumped off the boulder and began pacing. This was not good. I kept glancing up at the cave, waiting for her to exit okay, but she never did. Something was wrong, I could feel it.

My fears were confirmed when Hector rematerialized a few minutes later. Saben was with him, and she had the antidote vials.

But she also sported a lovely ghostly aura.

* * *

Bwhaha. I complain about cliffhangers like there's no tomorrow, and yet here I leave you with one. Bwhahhaha.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 9! huggles And who plans to review 10...(_shifty eyes)_


	11. Image of the Invisible

I'm popping in with an update. It sucks. Humor me. I do. :D  
Haha. Anywho. How are you all doing? Good I hope. Yup. Yup.  
Ok, so I'm not good at small talk.  
Here's my replies:

**Yes I killed Saben. Bwhahahha. Oddly, I had fun with that too. :1 But there was kind of a reason for that. Maybe this chapter will help. If not...well I'm good at...pulling excuses out of my butt. blink :D Maybe not believable, but I'm pulling it all the same. :p**

**bbblfl**–Hee! I'm glad you enjoyed the update! Now, something just struck me. I've been talking to you for a bit now, and I still have no idea what your user name stands for. Could you please enlighten me:D

**...Shadows36–**Sorry. I should type your entire name out but I'm...lazy. Sigh. It's the sad truth. What do you want me to say:p I'm glad you liked the (short :p) chapter.

**Claudine–**Happy belated Birthday:D I hope it rocked. Sucky birthdays just...you know...suck. :p Smooth I know. I'm glad you like it. But I highly doubt it will seem to flow smoothly after this. :D

Thanks for the reviews, da'lings. :D I appreciate them all. They make me happy.

**Disclaimer: I own only the plot. Everything else, nope. Song lyrics: "Breakdown"–by Breaking Benjamin (the band, not me, lol).**

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**Ch 11: Image of the Invisible**

I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it. What do you say?

"Gee, you're dead."

"You've looked worse."

"Nice...shoes."

Seriously? What?

Saben walked over and handed me the vials with a sniff.

"Where in the world does an eighteen year old guy get nerve gas!"

I looked at Hector to see if he understood what she'd said. But when his gaze met mine, I knew he didn't. I was afraid to ask though. She looked seriously angry. Pissed even. And I didn't want to be the one the volcano erupted on when it did decide to spew.

But naturally, curiosity got the best of me. I was about to ask Saben "What?" Luckily, Hector spared me the death wish.

"_Querida_..." Hector sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Saben glared in his direction, but didn't stop pacing.

"That bastard rigged the device with nerve gas! Nerve gas! Who the hell uses nerve gas anymore?"

Our silence and twin expressions of "I'm with stupid" must have indicated our confusion because she stopped pacing. After taking a deep breath to keep from yelling (more), she elaborated.

"I successfully disabled the stupid ghost device. No biggie, right? Yeah, well, when I did, nerve gas started coming out from underneath. I didn't know what it was, and by the time I figured it out..." she sighed and looked down at herself. "Let's just say nothing pleasant came from it."

"Except the antidote," Hector reminded her. For some reason he sounded different. And when I looked over at him—this wasn't the guy I'd been talking to few minutes before. He was glowing brighter, stood up straighter, his eyes...his eyes weren't full of pain anymore. And I could guess why.

Now that she was dead, there was nothing to keep them apart.

Which was sweet. Kind of morbid, but sweet.

I know he didn't _want _her to die–especially like that–but she had. And if he loves her like Jesse loves me then...well, I can't really blame the guy for being happy.

I don't think that idea had quite clicked with Saben yet. I didn't exactly expect her to do cartwheels, but come on. At least kiss him or_ something. _

Yeah. There's no way it had clicked. That or we're more different than I thought.

"Speaking of the antidote," Saben looked over at me. "You need to get to the hospital...We need to follow the plan."

Jesse and Paul didn't take the news well. At first, they reacted like I had. What The Hell? But then they, well mainly Paul, got angry.

"I_ knew _we should have gone with you."

"_Nombre Di Dios."_

"God dammit! Why didn't Hector do something? He was suppose to be watching the two of you!"

"Paul!"

"What?" he snapped at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of nurses and a doctor ran passed our room.

"Can you take it down a freaking notch? We're not exactly alone here."

Paul narrowed his eyes at me, "Where is she now."

Thankfully, he'd lowered his voice.

"She and Hector are administering the antidote."

"I thought I was suppose to..."Jesse cocked an eyebrow at me.

"She didn't want us to get caught," I smiled at him. He was going to make a great doctor. He's very passionate about helping others.

For the last ten minutes I'd been sitting in a chair between Father Dominic and Adam, explaining to Jesse and Paul what happened. They hadn't been given the remedy yet, but there were others worse off than they were.

A shimmer of blue to my right caught my eye. Saben and Hector appeared, needles in hand. Hector gave Father Dom the antidote, while Saben injected Adam's IV with the orange fluid.

"The effects are almost instantaneous," Hector informed us as he disposed of the needle.

As Hector walked back over to Father Dominic, my ears began to ring. Suddenly, I heard someone say, "_You need to wake up, Suze. This isn't real."_

It sounded like Saben, but I couldn't be sure.

"What did you say?" I asked and looked at her. Saben looked at me like I'd grown another head.

"I didn't say anything."

"_Wake up, Suze."_

I stood up and looked around me. Nothing.

"_This isn't real."_

"Who's saying that?" I turned to the others, but when I looked, they were gone.

Jesse. Paul. Hector. Saben. Adam. Father Dominic.

All of them gone.

I was alone.

The hospital walls surrounding me dissolved into blackness.

"_Suze."_

I turned around and found myself facing Saben. Only it wasn't –she looked utterly different.

She looked like she did when I first saw her. Jeans and a band t-shirt. The same outfit she had on the day I visited Jesse's new residence. The day I accused him of cheating on me.

"Who are you?" I asked, as a chill ran up my spine. This place was creepier than the Shadowland. And I _hate_ that place.

"I'm you."

"I know, but I–"

"We don't have much time. He's coming. You need to listen to me."

I nodded and did as I was told.

"The last few weeks have been a dream, Suze. A dream. You're in a coma. But your dreams have a reality to them. Parallel shifting is real, Qain is real, the threat he poses is real...He's going to start killing people. And he's going to start with you."

"What–?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

I blinked at her, absently.

"Relinquish control to me. Please."

"I don't understand–"

"If I separate myself from your mind, Qain will be able to see me. He'll be able to exorcize me. I can only stop him through you."

"No. I...I can't..."

"You won't be held responsible for anything I do. I promise."

With that, I felt myself being suffocated, pressed further back into the dark corner of my mind. Saben disappeared, extinguishing the only light there had been in the cold dark.

I don't know how long I waited in the dark for Saben to return, but if felt like forever. Suddenly, I heard a gasp to my right and opened my eyes.

Only this time it wasn't a dream. I was awake. The pressure that had forced my soul into darkness was gone, and I was once more the only one in my body.

I was in a hospital gown, lying on a bed in a bright, white room. Next to me was a ghost and a man.

The ghost was Saben. She was glaring at the man next to her. His eyes were wide and his mouth gaping open. With one last glance at Saben he fell to the floor and began convulsing.

I recognized him. It was Qain, disguised as a physician. With him he'd brought a needle, which now resided in his abdomen, all of it's contents gone.

I watched his body collapse violently as his bones disintegrated.

He was dead.

_Qain_ was dead.

_Let the fun and games begin  
__She is spayed and broken in  
__Skin is cold and white  
__Such a lovely lonely night  
__Heaven is on the way  
__You could feel the hate  
__but I guess you never will  
__I'm on a roll again  
__and I want an end  
__'cause I feel you creeping in  
__What I found in this town  
__I'm heading for a breakdown_


	12. The Tease

I'm still as confuzzling as ever. Woot. Go me.  
Sorry, this is short. Very short. I'll make up for it next chapter.

I hope. O.O

Thanks to all my reviewers! I love ya'll! **

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**Ch 12: The Tease**

_Qain was dead._

Yeah. Now is it just me, or did that seem _too_ easy. He was suppose to be this vicious murderer that no one could vanquish...and all it took was the bone eating disease that he created.

Yeah.

"Good," Saben's voice tore me away from my thoughts. "Now we can get on with this."

She walked over to the table by my bed and opened the top drawer. From it, she pulled a long knife. The narrow blade shimmered ominously as light reflected off the surface. Saben smirked at the knife mischievously, as though contemplating its future potential.

"What's that for?" I asked, eyeing the weapon cautiously.

"Oh this?" she glanced at me, and then looked back at the blade she was twirling on her fingertip. "Just a precaution."

"But he's dead..." My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. Carefully, I glanced down at the body on the floor.

Yes. Definitely dead.

"Yes. Yes he is."

Saben's smirk broadened even more. Still twiddling the knife, she casually leaned against the wall by my bed.

"Qain's not the one I'm worried about," she sighed.

"Then who–" I began, but she cut me off.

"You see, Susannah, I haven't been very honest with you since...well, since I first met you, really."

"I don't understand," I said, and licked my lips. My eyes narrowed upon her. The way she was playing with the knife like it was a toy–the impish grin that painted her lips–all of it was starting to irritate me. How could she be so damn calm?

"Everything you think you know about me is a lie. Well, for the most part. I _am_ you. I _am_ a shifter. But I'm not here to stop Qain," she let out a small laugh. "No. Quite the opposite."

"Been talking about me?" a cold voice came from my left. Qain–well, Qain's ghost, technically–flipped off the machines monitoring my condition. Oxygen. Morphine. Everything. Needless to say, I began freaking in side.

"That was more painful than you said it would be," he scowled down at his body as he walked around my bed, to where Saben was standing.

"You never would have gone through with it if I had told you the truth," she purred to him. The anger on his face diminished immensely. Her sultry attitude obviously had the desired affect.

"True," his voice was deep as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.

Oh my _fucking_ god.

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Chapter 13 will def. be longer I promise. 


	13. Hollow

Still not up with the review reply button. Sigh:

bbblfl---:D That review still makes me giggle. And do you have any idea how tempting that offer on MCBC was? O.O

Angel in the Shadows36—I hate cliffies too. And yet I write them occasionally. Sigh. I should be shot, I know.

Leash—Holy cow, you read if from the beginning? And you like it! Thanks:D

jeez claudine—When I read the first "shame" I was all "sniff" but then I read the rest. It perked up my 9:00 am mood.

Thanks for the reviews! I love them. They made me happy :D (I danced with my cats because I'm at 70 reviews...I'm weird)

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****Yay. Lengthy, boring, explanation chapter. Pfft. "A little less talk, and a lot more action." (starts to sing)**

**Dedicated to my grade report. The last good thing yesterday before my day tanked. Sigh.**

**Disclaimer: I take claim to only the crazy shit. The rest is the brilliance of Meg Cabot.**

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****Ch 13: Hollow**

"What the _hell_?" I couldn't believe it.

Actually, a part of me could. It just didn't want to.

"Mmm. Can't we just kill her?" Qain mumbled against the skin of Saben's neck, having moved away from her lips.

"We can't. We need her body."

Hold the phone–they need my body? For what!

I don't want to know. This can't be good.

Shudder.

I reached over and grabbed the phone attached to my bed. Jesse. Jesse could help me. Or Father Dominic. Paul even.

Saben laughed beside me. "That won't work, Susie Q."

Qain detached himself from her throat and grinned at me. His eyes were as cold as they had been in my dreams.

Or should I say–nightmares.

"Who are you going to call? Your precious Jesse?" His laugh sent a chill down my spine. Suddenly angry, I slammed the phone back in its holder.

"What do you two want?" My voice was suppose to be hard and demanding, but instead came out cracked.

"Not much," Saben answered, as she ran her free hand through Qain's hair. "Just your body."

"My body?" I looked at her dumbfounded.

"And Jesse's, of course."

"No," I replied intelligibly. "You can't."

Like I was in any position to be making threats or demands of any kind. Hell, I still couldn't figure out why she needed my body.

"I'm afraid that isn't up to you, Susie."

I gritted my teeth. "Don't call me Susie."

Summoning up a bit more courage, I continued, louder this time. "Jesse will never let yo get away with this."

Saben's eyes glittered as she let out a small, malicious chuckle. "Jesse," she smiled. "Is unconscious at my house. I highly doubt he's going to be playing knight-in-shining-armor to your damsel-in-distress anytime soon."

I glared at her. My chest was starting to heave, and I held back a sob. With the morphine gone, pain was returning to my wounds. Wounds that seemed to reach every crevice of my body. Even still, my soul hurt the most. Knowing Jesse was hurt was killing me. I tried to look away as Qain's hand began to work it's way underneath Saben's shirt, but I couldn't. If I so much as blink, they might disappear. And Jesse could die.

I could feel bile rising in my throat. This was disgusting. How could anyone, especially someone claiming to be me, fall in leauge with a killer. How?

"I don't understand," I mumbled quietly, more to myself than to anyone else. "Why are you doing this?"

With a sigh, Saben grabbed Qain's hands, making him stop.

"Do something with your body, please," she ordered. "And keep an eye on the others."

After one last kiss, Qain took his corpse and dematerialized. Saben ran her free hand through her hair; her other hand was still entertaining the knife.

"I guess I should start at the beginning." She took a seat by my bed, and propped her crossed legs up on my mattress.

"I am Susannah Simon, a shifter. I was born in New York, but moved to Carmel after my mother remarried. My father died when I was six years old. In my new home, I met a ghost–a ghost I fell in love with–"

"I know all of this. Do skip forward."

Saben smirked at my interruption, but continued on as though she hadn't heard me.

"A few months after moving to Carmel, I met another mediator. My school principal–a priest–was one as well, and he often criticized me mediating ways. But to meet another one of us...well. That's rare. Paul Slater, needless to say thought he could play me as a pawn by luring me into his trap of "shifter intel". And when I chose to love Jesse over him, Paul did everything he could to get rid of him–including trying to stop him from dying. He almost succeeded. Had I nod accidentally shifted Jesse back with me when I jumped out of the barn, he would have lived. Instead, he died in a time he didn't belong."

"So the memory–," I said, licking my lips. " In my dreams–the memory Qain showed me. That was real?"

"Yes," she answered quietly, refusing to look me in the eye. "I killed the man I loved, and he still came back to me. He still loved me after everything."

She let out a bitter laugh, and wiped away a tear that had escaped her control. She shifted in her seat, placing her feet on the tiled floor and resting her elbows on her thighs.

"Like I told you before, Jesse wanted me to find someone alive to be with. Paul was there, and the relationship wasn't bad. I think a small part of me even loved him. But then...things began to fall apart."

Saben began forcefully twisting the tip of the blade into her index finger, but didn't seem to mind the pain it inflicted.

"Paul was killed in a plane crash, along with mom, Andy and the boys. We were all going to Hawaii for vacation...The plane crashed into the ocean halfway there. I'm not sure how I survived–I must have shifted, but I don't know. I went into shock. Things became a blur after that.

"I wanted to shift back and save them, but Paul wouldn't let me. His spirit moved on after he was convinced that I wouldn't go back. I lied when I made that promise to him, of course. But I never got the chance to go back. Shortly after the funeral, Father Dominic had a heart attack, and passed away. And that was where I met _him."_

She sat back in the chair, and relaxed. I stared at her, confused slightly, but didn't interrupt...again.

"Qain had only been attending Junipero Mission for a couple of months before Father Dom died. He had no idea Father Dom was a mediator. But he found out I was, at the funeral. He saw me talking to Jesse, who was trying to comfort me, but it wasn't helping. I tried to move on-stay strong, but the losses made...palpable. And then–"

She closed her eyes and sighed.

"An epidemic hit California. People were contracting a bone eating disease, and were dying within two months. CeeCee and Adam were infected when they go their tetanus shots updated. Qain kept trying to tell me we should be together–that together, we could conquer anything. And after I watched my best friends die, I began to see things his way.

Everyone that mattered to me was gone. Gina and grandma were in New York–we'd grown distant. So, I joined Qain. And then I found out he was the one who created and controlled the disease. He was killing everyone to avenge his father's death. His father, Charles Paquin, died from a similar, genetic disease. He suffered for twelve years before it took his life, and no one could find a cure. Qain, with help, was able to isolate and manipulate the disease so it could be spread. His father thought he was helping his son find a cure, not a threat.

At first the disease took two months to kill. But with my contributions, he was able to increase the kill time. It went from months, to weeks, to days. Now, it takes mere seconds. Think hydrochloric acid, it's like a carnivore to a steak. It dissolves the bone marrow in the blink of an eye. Poof. Gone."

"I was pissed when I found out he was the reason my friends were dead. But then he showed me some of his memories–I could feel the pain he felt as he watched his father die. It didn't excuse the murders, but it did make me understand. He was fighting for someone to find a cure, so he could go back and save his father. He figured if he infected enough people, someone would have to find a fix. But no one could. So, we shifted to a different parallel and began again.

By then, the disease we manipulated mutated, and we were able to find a cure. But only for the new disease. The original was unaffected.

Qain lost all hope. This became more of a game. If we had to suffer, everyone had to suffer. Until someone could stop this, at least. This is the ninth parallel we've been too. The ninth to be destroyed. However, higher powers are starting to take notice in our activities. They want to stop us."

Saben propped her feet back up on the bed. "That's where you come in."

I blinked at her. I was still digesting what she'd said. Most of it was like in my dreams–except the end.

"Qain and I need a place to hang out–somewhere we won't be found. Jesse's body, your body, their perfect capsules for our souls. Unfortunately, the current owners have to be evicted before we can play host."

I blinked again.

This didn't make sense. Why me? Why _this _parallel?

"Your parallel is the only one where Jesse is alive. The only one where this facade is believable," she answered the unasked question.

"The one's after us won't be able to tell the difference when we're in your bodies–only if we remain ghosts. They aren't very smart, you see," she grinned.

I licked my lips. The pain racking through me was becoming unbearable. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.

"Hurting?" she asked, noticing my slight tremors. I nodded and closed my eyes. Saben sighed and stood up. Eyeing me as I shook, she walked over to my IV and released the morphine drip switch.

The pain slowly started to dull, as the drug swam through my veins once again.

"Thanks," I whispered. I didn't mean it–not entirely. At least the physical pain was diminishing.

"You were in a car accident on your way home from having a fight with Jesse," she informed me as she returned to her seat. "Compliments of me."

"What?" my head snapped in her direction.

"I need you incapacitated—granted, I think I hit you a little_ too_ hard. Plus," she sighed resolutely. "I needed to die in order for the plan to work. Why not kill two birds with one stone."

"...So, you ran me over with your car?"

"I hit you, I didn't run you over."

Oooh. Big difference.

Not.

"And when they found your body?"

"My body was burned beyond recognition when my car exploded."

Hello–what!

I gasped unintentionally.

"If it makes you feel any better, I did suffer. I was still alive when the tank blew. That's why I choose to 'die' by gas in your mind. Even if it was nerve gas, and not gasoline. Qain pulled you out of your car before the explosion. You're of no use to me dead."

How thoughtful.

I cringed. That didn't make me feel any better. A little numb. But I think that was the morphine.

"And your remains?" I asked. I'd watched CSI recently, hints the fifty questions. Granted, the show was subconscious.

"They were taken care of. No one knows who I am, who I was, or who I ever will be. Except you of course. But not for long."

"And Qain?"

"We had to test the newest version of the disease. And we needed to...get rid of his body."

Oh. Lovely.

I need a break. This is too much. Even for me. My eyelids were starting to get heavy, as the morphine took full effect.

What the hell was I going to do? I refuse to willingly hand my body over to two killers. And after what I went through to save Jesse, they're not getting his body either.

Over my cold, dead body. Even if that's what it comes down to.

"Close your eyes, Suze," Saben smiled. Reluctantly, I did. Once more, darkness consumed my vision.

_All of my life, all of my time  
__I don't want to come back around tonight  
__and all that I need is serenity  
__I don't want to feel your new disease  
__the natural life  
__your born, you die  
__the natural life  
__your wrong, your right  
__the natural life  
__your born, you die  
__the natural life is a** lie**_

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Please excuse my sucky typos. And if you have questions (other than about where Hector is...you'll see) then ask..and I'll answer in the next chapter. Review, please. Or frolic in a bed of flowers. Whatever makes ya happy. 

Song--"Natural life"--Breaking Benjamin  
again...cackle.


	14. Ex's and Oh's

Holy cow, I love you all! You review even though it was a lengthy blah chapter! YAY! (huggles everyone)  
And I finally figured out how to do reviews to individuals! I know "What do you want a cookie?" Ha, no. I just ate an entire box of animal crackers. Bad idea. :P  
Anywho, here's an update that actually didn't take three months to get to gasp shock awe  
If you like it, let me know. If you hate it, let me know. If you want to resurrect Mark Twain and then torture him to a slow death, let me know. I'll bring the blunderbuss, tazer, and a body bag.

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****Ch 14: Ex's and Oh's**

_Smack. Smack. Shake. Smack._

"Susannah."

I groaned. Not now, Max. I'll play later.

_Smack. Shake. Smack. Shake._

"Susannah, open your eyes. Please."

Wait. Max can't talk. And he doesn't have a Spanish accent. Can dogs even have accents?

"Alright," I answered, my eyes still closed. "Hold your horses, amigo"

The person shaking me loosened their grip as I sat up and opened my eyes. I blinked. Where was I? What happened to the pain (not that I'm complaining)?

I glanced curiously at the man before me. Oh my.

"Jesse!" I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. I never wanted to let him go. Ever. "You're alright! You're alive! I was so worried that–"

"Susannah..." Jesse, who'd pulled me closer at first, suddenly pulled away. And that's when I saw what the problem was. Jesse wasn't alright. He was a ghost.

And from the transparent twinge to my skin, so was I.

Ah hell.

"Son of a bitch," I grumbled as I got to my feet.

"Susannah," Jesse chided, but I ignored him. Saben had forced me out of my body while I was unconscious, and then dumped me...um. Well, I don't know where.

Jesse noticed my confused expression and sighed. "We're in my basement."

Oh. Huh. What a clean basement. Then again, one needs somewhere to hide bodies.

Sigh. I need caffeine and chocolate. Badly.

"Well then, lets go get our bodies back," I said and headed for the stairs. Jesse was calling after me, but I didn't listen. Why wasn't he following me? As I reached the fourth step, I figured out why. As if picked up by a twister, I was hurled backwards into the wall. I landed on my ass with a thud.

Ow.

Jesse kneeled down and offered me his hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked and helped me to my feet.

"I've been better," I answered through gritted teeth.

"I tried to warn you." Laughter laced his voice, but his expression remained concerned.

"Yeah, well. I know that now," I replied a bit harsher than I intended.

"It's a cage for spirits," Jesse informed me. "I tried dematerializing out of here, but I couldn't."

I sighed. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

I shook my head. How could this get any worse? Honestly. I'm as good as dead here!

Oh, when I find Saben–me–whoever—I'm so going to kick her ass.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Jesse queried, as his eyes studied my face.

I snorted. The fight we'd had the night of the accident seemed so insignificant now. Silly, really. He'd never cheat on me. Especially not with a murderous lunatic.

Even so, Jesse looked worn. His hair had grown, he was in need of a shave (even if the scruffy look was sexy), and he looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks.

Jesse noticed I was staring at him and his brow furrowed.

"Susannah, what's wrong?" he asked, sounding genuinely worried.

"Jesse, I am so, so sorry," I closed my eyes as I spoke. "For everything."

"Susannah, you have no reason to be sorry," he smiled at me sadly.

"Jesse, that night, I accused _you _of _cheating_ on me. I–I said some horrible, despicable things. I'm ashamed of the way I acted, and I'm sorry. I never should have doubted you."

"_Querida, _now really isn't the time or place—" he sighed and looked around, but I interrupted him.

"That night was my fault. If I would have just listened, if I would have just stayed, we wouldn't be in this mess. It's my fault—all of it."

"No, Susannah, it was mine. I've always been able to protect you. That night I failed you–I let you go, and you got hurt. I'll never be able to forgive myself for that," he whispered and I let out a sob.

Jesse pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me, as I cried.

"I love you," I mumbled into his chest, as he stroked my hair. Jesse pulled back and looked down at me, somewhat shocked. I guess he hadn't heard that from me in a long time. Softly cupping my face in his hands, he stared into my eyes.

"I love you too, Querida," Jesse replied then claimed my lips with his own.

-8-

Did you know that ghosts still have emotions? Well, we aren't actually ghost, I guess—just souls. But still. Spirits can be very...libidinous. I should know.

Which is why twenty minutes later, when Jesse pulled away slightly, I groaned.

"Querida," he said against my lips. "This isn't going to get us out of here."

"Who says I want to leave?" I smiled up at him coyly. Yes up.

We were kind of on the floor, tangled together in a libidinous-spirit pile. Okay, so we were getting hot and heavy in his basement, on the hard cement floor.

"I don't want to leave either, but we have to get help."

Help? Damn, if this is the after life, sign me up. I'm staying! _This_ was...phew. What? I'm going to die someday, I might as well check out the neighborhood and enjoy the...neighbors.

"And how are we going to—"

But I didn't get to finish. There was a loud pounding coming from behind the basement door.

Jesse quickly climbed off of me and helped me up. Suddenly, the door burst open. I gasped and clutched onto Jesse.

Old habits die hard. Heh.

Paul stumbled in and clutched the wall for support. Behind him stood Father Dominic (who was carried a large, tattered book) and a ghost.

"He was right," Paul said as he looked down at Jesse and I. "They're down here."

The ghost stepped around Father Dominic and crouched on the top step.

"The trigger is on the fourth step, Slater," he informed Paul. The new proximity allowed me a clear view of the ghost.

_Hector_.

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Sorry this chapter was shorter than the last. I have a book review to finish (blah). 

Also, sorry for typos...and if it was confusing. I've been known to be that way (o.o)

Thanks for reading :D


	15. Show Me

**Bad New: This sucks. And I still have my one paper to do.  
****Good News: It's okay, I had subway for lunch. O.O**

**Anywho, thank you for all of the reviews. I already have chapter 16 written (on paper) and if that isn't scary, I don't know what is. I haven't updated this frequently since...in...well I've never updated without a two month space between chapters. Go me. I so have my priorities out of order. I give me until Friday before I have writer's block again. Lovely.**

**So anywho--chapter 15. Enjoy. I hope. Or eat one of the new Cruch sticks. Those things should be illegal--they're addicting! **

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****Ch 15:** Show Me 

Jesse, who I was still clutching too, tensed beneath my grip. Hector glanced at Jesse and raises his scarred eyebrow. He was clearly amused by Jesse's reaction.

"Nombre Di Dios," Jesse let out a breath he'd been holding. This was becoming very deja vu for me.

Hector's reaction when he saw me cowering behind Jesse was new, though. His eyes grazed over what he could see of me, and he scowled menacingly. No one else seemed to notice that he looked like he wanted to murder me with his bare hands.

"Where's the device?" Paul called up from the fourth step to Hector. With a sneer, he tore his gaze from mine.

I know he isn't _my_ Jesse, but part of me still ached from that glare. Part of me still absorbed the hate radiating off of him.

"Pull up the fourth plank," Hector replied. His voice was much colder than before. Father Dominic glanced at Hector as he repositioned the ancient book in his arms.

Paul did as he was instructed. After a few hefty yanks and pulls Paul gave up, and leaned against the stair railing, panting a bit. Sweat lightly adorned his forehead and cheeks from the exertion.

Hector muttered angrily in Spanish and, using his mind, forced the wooden step from its place. Splitters of wood flew in every direction. Instinctively, Jesse tried to protected me. It didn't matter. The wood shards just viciously flew through us. At least the thought was comforting.

"Shit!" Paul yelled and shielded himself with his arms. Father Dominic narrowed his eyes at Paul but didn't say anything. Hector stepped down to where Paul was and gave him a crooked, innocent smirk.

"Did I forget to warn you to move?" he asked Paul bitterly. Paul reciprocated with a rude hand gesture and headed back up the stairs. Father Dominic remained silent, though this was obviously irritating him. I could tell. He wore the same frustrated expression he always used when dealing with me.

Using his mind, once again, Hector lifted the device from the floor.

"Padre, you and Slater should step outside for a moment," Hector said. His tone towards Father Dominic was calm and sincere.

This was the most Jesse-like side to him I'd seen so far. The ghost before me was nothing like the one from my dreams. And considering Saben manipulated them, they should be somewhat accurate. But this wasn't even close.

The rectangular device was still in mid air, suspended by the ghost of someone I thought I knew. Red and green lights painted the stainless steel surface. Complex gauges and dials were alined below a digital screen, set in the middle of the device. A key pad graced the spot by the off switch, as well as a set of speaker-like holes.

We were going to need a password to shut this thing off. But how we were suppose to get that—

The device let out a low growl as the steel began to bend and distort. The grinding and screeching of bolts and hinges filled the air as Hector forced pressure on the box. Suddenly, a gas expelled from the speaker holes and filled the room.

Saben hadn't told me about the nerve gas because of the wreck. They really were using the stuff.

A blue light shimmered on the force field surface as the device collapsed and fell to the floor as mutilated rubble. With a slight buzz, the shield vanished.

Hector walked down the last four steps to make sure the field was destroyed. He looked smug as he approached us. Jesse was still tense in front of me, as he watched his double approach.

"You deserve an explanation," he told Jesse firmly, and glanced at me. "And so do they."

He pointed to the basement door with his thumb. It was a good thing Hector was clad in his 1850's attire or I never would have been able to tell he and Jesse apart.

Well, other than Hector's attitude problem. Which I must say, is not attractive. Don't get me wrong. When Jesse get's angry, he's still extremely hot. But this..._guy_ wasn't. His eyes were cold and black. His very essence reeked of rage. I felt more like running from him screaming, not like jumping his bones.

"Come," Hector waved us on with his hand. "Time is of the essence. And this is not a good place to stop and chat."

Jesse and I followed Hector up the stairs. As I passed the missing step I realized I couldn't smell the freshly broken timber. My chest tightened. How could Jesse have endured _this_ like he did? This isn't life. This just is.

I looked down at my chest. I was still breathing. My lungs filled and emptied. But I no longer needed to breath. It was just a voluntary motion. Like blinking now was.

I stopped at the top of step and closed my eyes. I'm not ready to die yet.

I was in a fight for my life. And this was one fight I couldn't lose.

Jesse turned around and looked at me curiously. I shook my head and caught up with him.

Get a grip, Suze. You can fall apart later.

Jesse took my hand and lead me to the front yard, where the others were waiting. Paul was leaning against Father Dom's car, waiting for us to come outside. Father Dominic waited by the door, still holding the huge book.

"Slater should drive," Hector said, his tone bitter once more. He turned to Father Dominic and placed a hand on the book. "You and I need to help Susannah find the dagger."

I looked at the pair, my eyebrows raised. What dagger?

Father Dom pulled out his keys and tossed them to Paul, who caught them easily. Paul climbed in the driver's seat, while I was hearded into the back seat with Father Dominic. Jesse climbed and sat beside me, while Hector sat up front. It's a good thing no one was around. This had to look odd.

A young boy driving, with a Priest in the back seat. That just sounds wrong.

"We should go to the mission. They won't bother us there," Father Dominic suggested. Oddly, I was reminded of Father D saying that about Maria and Diego, and they showed up anyway. I just hope he's right this time. Hector nodded to Paul and turned around.

"Susannah," Hector said, his voice still burning my ears, as Father Dominic handed me the book. "What did the dagger look like?"

"What dagger?"I asked and opened the cover of the book. Dust laced the thin, crispy pages. Hector looked at me angrily for a moment, but then his expression went blank.

"The one Saben had at the hospital."

Oh. That was a dagger? It looked like a knife to me. One in the same I guess. Then again, I hadn't seen a dagger before, so how was I suppose to know the difference?

"Oh," I replied intelligibly. "Um, sharp."

Hector ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"What color was the handle?" he asked, frustrated again. Frustrated with me. I could feel Jesse and Father Dom staring at me, so I closed my eyes. I tried picturing the dagger. I hadn't paid much attention to anything but it's proximity to me.

Think, Suze. Think.

I focused as best as I could. The blade was long, thin, sharp. The handle had been–

"Black, with a green serpent twisted around it." I opened my eyes. Hector was staring at me intently. The hate he had been radiating ceased a little, or so it seemed to me.

"With a blood red gem for an eye?" he whispered quietly, and I nodded. Hector turned the book on my lap to face him and began flipping through the pages. Dust flew around, causing both Father Dominic and Paul to start sneezing. Jesse was kind enough to rolled his window down so they could breath (apparently they aren't as smart as him–or I'm just biased).

After a few minutes, Hector stopped, having found the page. I looked down at the drawing in the book–it was a perfect depiction.

"That's it," I said and turned the book back around. Jesse and Father Dom read over the forgein text while Hector pinches the bridge of his nose. I couldn't understand the words before me. It definitely wasn't English or French.

"It's worse than I thought," Hector's voice was loud, and more bitter than ever. "They've gotten a hold of the of the _στιλέτο από καταδικασμένη_."

I started at him. What was he talking about?

"It's Greek," Hector lightly traced the picture with his thumb. "The Dagger of the Damned."

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In case you all havne't noticed, Idon't speak Greek. Thanks to bablefish, that is the translation I have. It probably really says petunia flavored rhino in Greek. I have no idea. Fake it for me please. 

Thanks for reading. And have a splending day...week...year...muffin.


	16. The Hand that Feeds

**Sorry this took so long. I was finishing up a short story. I know this update's length doesn't make up for it, but it's just a filler. The next will give a nice, should-be lengthy explanation. And of course, my final plot twist. I think. Bwhahaha. **

**Here's to hoping this doesn't totally suck peaches. And if it does, blame peaches.** **

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**

**Ch 16: The Hand that Feeds**

This is just my luck. I can see ghosts; I fell in love with a dead guy; a shifter who "loves" me tried to get rid of my 'boyfriend,'twice; I find a way to bring said boyfriend to life (well, accidentally); I'm finally happy, and then someone comes along and messes everything up.

Why am I not surprised? I mean, I was at first. But now that I think about it, I shouldn't be.

After the incident with Maria and Diego, I should've figured out that I'd never have a peaceful moment.

Realization sucks.

I wistfully looked over at Jesse, only to find him staring at me intently. He'd been quiet since we had gotten in the car, but I hadn't really thought anything of it. Maybe he's tired of being drug into my messes. Especially now that he has a life to live. Maybe he would be better off without me...

Hector turned around in his seat abruptly, as I began lightly tracing the picture of the dagger in the book with my finger.

"Don't," he hissed at me in a low voice. I yanked my finger off the dusty page, but refused to meet his searing gaze. My eyes remained on Jesse, who had turned to look at his alternate self, confused.

He looked handsome when confused. Not that he wasn't handsome all the time. I know other women think he's gorgeous–some have told me. He'd probably be better off with someone like them. Someone normal.

"Susannah," Hector's voice growled again. "Stop it."

Jesse's eyes averted back to me, as did Father Dominic's, to see what I was doing wrong. My finger slowly began tracing the serpent on the dagger, gently brushing the ragged texture, as I cautiously drug my eyes to Hector's face.

He was still staring down at me, a hint of red shadowing his dark eyes. He nodded in Jesse's direction, indicating what he'd meant. How had he known what I was thinking?

Shaking my head at him, I looked down at the book and turned the archaic page. The next depiction was Egyptian. It was of an armor clad warrior with the dagger one hand and a door knob in the other. Stars littered the sky behind the figure, though he stood on a golden floor.

No, _wooden_.

I closed my eyes and envisioned the place. It was eerily familiar. So why couldn't I—

"Damn!" I yelled as a sharp pain shot up my back. I opened my eyes only to find myself flat on my butt on a wooden floor. Dense fog surrounded me. Stars shimmered above me in the black night sky. Doors lined the pale walls next to me.

Oops. I didn't know I could still shift.

Sudden thunderous Spanish cursing interrupted my thoughts.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hector demanded as he grabbed my arm and jerked me to my feet. While his grip was solid it wasn't painful.

Not physically anyway.

"I didn't mean too," I snapped back, wrenching my arm away from him.

'You shouldn't be here," a deep voice boomed from behind us. Thank you, Captain Obvious–I had no freaking idea.

But I didn't say that because I could tell it wasn't Hector. I'd have to save obscenities in my head for him later. Or not since he seems to be able to read my mind.

"Adias," Hector's tone was lighter than it had been moments ago.

"Oh," the gladiator look-alike said monotonously. "You again. What do you want?"

What did he mean by again? Still, it's pretty clear that these two are close. It's like a bad made-for-tv movie for kids. I bet these guys have sleep overs all the time.

Eww. Sorry. The mental image of Hector and Adias having pillow fights while wearing frilly pajamas isn't pretty.

"We need to find the Dagger of Rhibera," Hector said, and glanced at me, looking amused. Oh right–the mind reading crap.

"That is a forbidden part of νεκρός. I cannot disclose it to you."

Adias's (haha, ass) face was stony as he spoke. Someone grab the stick out of his ass already (haha, ass again).

"We _must_ have the dagger. Two spirits have gotten out of control."

"I'm sorry," Adias replied without remorse. "You must mediate as usual."

"Oh for crying out loud," I rolled my eyes and stepped in front of Hector.

"Look, dude. We have something you want, you have something we want. What do you say we work together here?"

Adias stared at me blankly. "You have nothing of value to me."

I smirked to myself. "So Saben and Qain mean nothing to you? Okay. Come one Hector, let's go," I turned around and grabbed Hector's arm, pulling him along with me dramatically.

"Wait," came a resigned voice from behind. I released Hector's arm like it was a hot coal, and pivoted around to face Adias.

"Yes?" my voice was sickeningly sweet.

"The dagger for their souls," Adias replied, low and harsh. I grinned triumphantly at him.

"Well, that _was _the plan. We need the dagger to capture their souls."

Adias raised a thin golden eyebrow at me. "No."

I sighed loudly, becoming frustrated. "Saben and Qain are residing in stolen bodies–one of which is mine. I refuse to kick them out without a guaranteed way of getting rid of them."

"Exorcism won't work alone," Hector stepped up beside me. "They'll just reclaim the bodies again. We need to contain them. We _need_ the dagger."

Adias looked at both of us doubtingly. "Fine," he hissed. "But should you fail, your souls will be forfeit."

"What?" Hector snapped beside me, furiously.

"An eye for an eye," Adias smiled at us as though it were a pleasant thought. Maybe it was to him.

Jackass.

"Deal," I said to Adias, getting his attention. He nodded his tawny mop at me and disappeared into the fog.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Susannah," Hector murmured to me bitterly.

But that was just it–I did know. And I was ready to dive into this head first, knowing I might fail.

Why?

Because there was no other choice. At least this would give me a snowball's chance in hell at getting my body back.

And Jesse's.

* * *

**Hector's shifting abilities will be explained next. No worries. As will how Qain is sooo brilliant at disease manipulation. Yeah.**

**Sorry for the odd and random humor. I'm mildly hyper. Review if you want, or bobble in space. Woot woot. **


	17. Animal I Have Become

**Because I can't remeber for the snosage of me who I replied to...I'll do it again (maybe).**

**Char---I'm always doing weird last minute twists so who knows. If I keep my end like it is though, something...interesting will happen. **

**Aina--I woke up the other day, and Tom Cruise's face was on tv...and I screamed. Then fell out of the bed. Sigh. I'm horrible. (pokes you for I am insane) Thanks. **

**Sarah-- Go random humor! Go hand that feeds! Go...you didn't want to submit it? (glomps you)NO!**

**Jenna--Thanks.**

**So, after much procrastinating, I finally am getting this damn thing up (whoa, that sounds weird--ignore me). **

**Lyrics are "Quote" by Evans Blue (yes, I am obsessed :D)**

**

* * *

Ch 17: Animal I have Become**

_Quote, you are my soul, unquote  
__Now does that sound familiar?  
__You kissed the boy and make him feel this way  
__Quote well this is me unquote  
__You have been so ugly you're entire life  
__So I changed now_

Luckily, it didn't take long for Adias to return with the dagger. Hector had been cursing at me under his breath ever since Adias disappeared. Not that it did any good.

The dagger resided in a pale, wooden box, engraved with Greek symbols. Satin coated the bottom while gold handles graced the narrow sides. But the outside was merely gilded compared to the dagger itself. Every crevice shimmered in the star light, making me hesitant to touch it. I didn't want to taint its beauty.

I know; for Pete's sake, it's a shiny knife. Get over it.

Before we left, Adias warned us not to touch the tip of the blade. If we did, our soul would be sucked inside, trapping it forever.

Well, that's a fabulous way to start one's day. Even though it was technically afternoon.

Never mind.

When Hector and I materialized into Father Dominic's office, we were greeted with utter silence. And a yellow post stick note that was barely clinging to the Good Father's chair.

_Paul's house._

I rolled my eyes at Hector while thinking some less than stellar thoughts. I believe I even made reference to Paul's mother. Haha, I'm kidding. No. More like the size of his ego in relation to his...Not that I would know.

God, way to dig your own grave, Simon.  
_Is this how you want to go down?  
__Right before my eyes you are the saddest sight I know  
__You're quiet you never make a sound  
__But here inside my mind you are the loudest one  
__I know_

I shifted to Paul's house before I got myself in even deeper. Hector found my embarrassment about the entire thing hilarious, and didn't have a problem in telling me so. If laughing in my face was any indication.

Of all the places to appear, my mind chose on a desolate hallway, where I'd hit Paul's ghostly biker minion.

Hector, who had the dagger since I'd just stared at it, didn't pop up behind me like usual. In fact, it seemed I was rather alone in this part of the house. Again.

_Slaski's room, _Hector's voice rang in my mind.

Oh, my bad. Pfft. Like they were specific.

With a shimmer I arrived in Dr. Slaski's frigid room. The familiar faces I'd seen not long ago glanced at me, then continued to listen to Slaski as he spoke.

"Absolutely beautiful," he breathed as he eyed the weapon in Hector's hand. Isn't it amazing how intriguing a shiny knife seems to be?

"Yes," Father Dominic croaked, then cleared his throat. "But if you don't mind, I'd like an explanation. I feel quite in the dark about what's going on here."

"I think we're all a little confused, Padre," Jesse patted the priest's shoulder. I could have sworn I felt his searing eyes on me as he spoke.

Hector looked at me blankly. "Where do we start?"

"Perhaps, the beginning," Father Dominic suggested wearily, as he straightened his glasses.

The beginning? What beginning? We both started at different points–there's different sides. Most of mine wasn't even real. Hector frowned at me slightly. "Have a seat, Susannah. I'll tell them."

I willingly did as he said. I didn't sit by Jesse. Instead, I sat in a pale, gray arm chair by the fire place. It was stiff, new...and damn uncomfortable.

_Quote we never talk unquote  
__And that's when I don't answer  
__Don't you dare ask why  
__Because you don't want to know  
__Quote well whoa is me unquote  
__How different I've become  
__And no one understands, my dear  
__No one really cares_

"As Susannah well knows, Saben is really her, just from a different parallel universe. Shifters have the ability to jump from their reality to others. Every reality is different. The climate, the fashion of order, _every_ existence depends on _every _decision _ever_ made. Naturally, there are billions of parallels because of this. Saben is Susannah Simon from reality number 23, 864, just like me. Or so the Adias, the gatekeeper, told me when I first arrived. My Susannah wasn't able to save me. When she shifted us back from 1850, I died," he sighed and shot a quick peek at Jesse. He didn't seem resentful, just sorrowful.

"She didn't take my death well. Even when I came back as a ghost, and tried to comfort her, she fought. She kept promising she'd find a way to help me, to give me life. But I wouldn't let her. I wanted her to stop trying to save me and just live her life to its full potential. Reluctantly, she finally did. She found love in a living being; Paul," Hector's voice was harder now, but not at us. He seemed more angry at his memories, like they were wrong. I guess in a way, they were. After all, he was dead and we weren't together.

His feet paced the cold floor roughly as he continued. "I was enraged at first. But then, I saw the way he looked at her. It was the way I'd looked at her for so long–with love. For once, he wasn't the lusty bastardo I remembered. I was happy for_ mi querida._ She'd stopped crying herself to sleep. She smiled more, was with her friends more. But then _he _showed up."

Hector stopped and hissed under his breath to himself. As quickly as he'd stopped, he shook his head fiercely and resumed where he'd left off.

"I knew he was trouble the moment I first laid eyes on him."

"Who?" Jesse interjected curiously.

_Is this how you want to go down?  
__Right before my eyes  
__You are the saddest sight I know  
__And you're quiet you never make a sound  
__But here inside my mind you are the loudest one I know  
__And you were right, right from the start  
__It took everything you had, but you finally broke my..._

"Qain Paquin," Hector replied bitterly making me shiver for a moment. "A boy, a shifter, and a murderer. He began attending the Mission early in Susannah's senior year. One day he caught her talking to me in the graveyard and he knew..." he trailed off tartly.

"Knew what? That she was a mediator?" Father Dom prodded.

Paul correctly him casually. "Shifter."

"No," Hector spat. "He knew then she would be his queen. His lover. Even if not willingly. When she refused to join him, he killed Paul, then the Good Father," he nodded at Father Dominic, "then everyone else that mattered to Susannah. He carefully covered his trail, making the deaths seem like accidents. A plane crash, a heart attack. He flat out exorcised Dr. Slater."

"Slaski," Paul's grandfather grumbled quietly.

"I watched him lure her to his side. He baited her, threatened her, found a way to break her. I tried to stop it, I really did try, but once she agreed–once she was by his side, it was too late."

"You said he was a murderer..."Jesse said cautiously. He seemed slightly irate for some reason, probably at me.

"_Is_ a murderer," I said flatly, as I crossed my arms across my chest. "After his father died from a rare bone eating disease, he became resentful. No one was finding a cure, no one was fixing it. He was vengeful, he demanded an antidote. He even tried to make one, but couldn't. However, he found a way to manipulate the disease and used it to make someone find a cure. But no one could. He just managed to kill everyone. Everyone but himself and Saben. So together they began jumping parallels, trying to find a fix. From anyone."

"Not quite, Susannah," Hector said calmly for a change. "Saben lied to you about that."

I stared at him, my eye brows furrowing in bewilderment. "But why would she lie about that?"

"Because even she doesn't know the truth."

I blinked at him dumbly and he sighed.

"Susannah, Qain was a seventeen year old shifter. No teenager knows how to manipulate a disease. That takes _years_ of learning. Even then, most fail."

"But–" I started butJesse–damn!_–Hector_ continued. "The soul looks like Qain did, sounds like him, has the same mediating abilities, but it isn't Qain. It's Charles Paquin, Qain's father."

What? That just...and she fu...I mean, they...ew! Sick! That's just wrong! So many different levels of wrong!

"When Qain couldn't handle the tasks his father wanted from him, Charles exorcised his son's soul and took over his body. He was a brilliant scientist before the disease crippled him. He needed a cure because Qain was genetically exposed. He needed a way to save his new body, should the disease set in later on."

My mouth gaped, but I didn't speak. Everyone else remained silent and watched the two of us.

_And know the old flames will pass away  
__I saw your life once, did you see mine?  
__But not all things will pass away  
__You turned your light off  
__So I turned mine away from your sadness  
__Away from the nothingness you feel for me_

"Querida, he killed his own son to save himself. Don't think he'll hesitate to kill you. Both versions of you."

It barely seemed to register to everyone what he'd called me. But I heard–I knew. And as much as I didn't want to, I had to; _Don't make me her._ I tried to make my thought sound calm but firm.

Hector looked at me a moment, not getting what I meant. Finally, it dawned on him and he visibly paled.

"The resemblance between the two is astonishing, especially at 17. No one noticed the difference. My Susannah believes Qain is just a hormonal teen avenging his father. Not a 49-year-old scientiest that's mentally cracked."

I didn't say a word. This entire situation just kept getting creepier and creepier.

"The gatekeepers of the Shadowland only recently noticed the threat Susannah and 'Qain' pose. So now the pair are trying to hide, and in your bodies," Hector pointed to Jesse and I. "Susannah, my Susannah, caused her–"more pointing in my direction–"car accident so she could steal her body. The plan seems to be failing though. Susannah's body is shutting down; the pain is too much. If we don't correct this soon, both will die."

Lovely. So even if I get my body back, I'm doomed. Talk about a lose-lose situation.

"So he's here for a cure?" Dr. Slaski asked, seemingly skeptical.

"For the original strand, yes. The manipulated disease already has a cure."

"Uh-huh. And we don't have much time?"

"Precisely," Hector sighed and stopped his pacing. "So we should go."

"Go where?"

"They're hiding at 'Qain's' house, trying to tend to the pain ailing Saben. They aren't worried about us. They don't know we're gone yet."

Dr. Slaski cleared his throat. "The priest and Paul shouldn't be in the fight, just near by."

"Why?" Paul looked affronted by his grandfather's statement.

_Is this how you want to go down?  
__Right before my eyes  
__You are the saddest sight I know  
__And you're quiet you never make a sound  
__But here inside my mind you are the loudest one I know  
__And you were right, right from the start  
__It took everything you had, but you finally broke my..._

"Their souls can take a beating, however, yours is still in your body. Not to mention, someone will need to be close enough to help Susannah and Jesse, if they succeed. And it's not like we can have an ambulance waiting for them."

"Oh," Paul sounded more disappointed than offended now.

"Here's Qain's address–meet us there. We'll wait twenty minutes before going. You should park a block or so from the house to avoid detection. I'll give you a sign when we need you," Hector instructed as he wrote the address on a sheet of paper he found.

Paul took the slip of paper and waved at Father Dom to follow him to the car. The rest of us watched them leave in silence.

"How are you getting around, boy?" Dr. Slaski turned upon Hector abruptly. Hector didn't look even slightly surprised at the query.

"When the gatekeepers came to my parallel to survey the damage and restore order, they found me, alone. I offered to help them hunt Qain down. They can't take souls to the Shadowland, only shifters can. So they designated me temporary abilities. I'm not quite sure how it works. Frankly, I don't care. As long as I can catch him..."

"And what about her? Will you really be able to stand by and watch the woman you love die?"Slaski taunted. I glared at him but he didn't seem to notice. Jesse just let his head rest in his hands as he listened; I couldn't see his expressions, and was almost thankful for that. I think he might be angry with me.

Hector replied acidly. "The woman I love left a long time ago. There's nothing left to save. She made her choice."

I peeked at Hector. He was eyeing me sadly, but looked away when I met his gaze.

I wish there was something I could do for him. Maybe...I'll have to check on that later. Yes; that might work.

Brilliant, Suze.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "We should go," I said quietly and stood up. Jesse stirred from reverie and got to his feet slowly. Hector clutched the dagger tightly and nodded at me.

"Susannah," Dr. Slaski called to me. "You'll need these."

He handed me two clear vials and a warn piece of paper. I opened the note and read.

_Egyptian Exorcism: For those pesky spirits that just won't leave._

That sounds like an advertisement in Vogue or something. _For zits that just won't quit._

"No candles or chicken blood," he said bleakly.

"Thanks." I folded the slip and pocketed it, along with the vials.

"Good luck," was the last thing I heard before dematerializing into the epicenter of my personal, living hell.

_Quote hey listen cause I'll only say this once  
__I finally found the words that mean enough to me  
__Goodbye my soul, unquote_

* * *

I know it isn't deathly long (like some writers I know are capable of) but it's longer than most of my recent updates. Sorry it took so long, I'm having a sucky time with life right now. If you have any questions left unanswered please ask and I'll either answer them directly to you, or explain them later on. I'd just hate to leave someone going "Wtf?" Since I do that to myself all the time.

No idea when I'll have 18 finished. I'll try and work on it soon. I have to finish my english timline first though.

Ah and my thing with Hector (woohoo) will eventually be explained. About the whole "Brilliant, Suze." bit. Yeah.

Peace out me amigos.


	18. Make Damn Sure

**I hate this chapter with a passion, but it's the only way I could come up with it. Fights can be so damn hard to write (for me anyway). I almost cut the scene out all together. But the chapter would have been about a paragraph long. I really don't need to be shot for that. So please forgive the suckiness. You will be rewarded with shirtless guys and crunch stixx. **

**Lyrics: "Cold"–Crossfade**

**Ch 18: Make Damn Sure**

"How the hell did you escape?" a familiar voice asked as I materialized in Qain's living room. I turned around and found myself face to face with Jesse. Well, his body anyway.

Wow, that sounds so wrong.

Now really isn't the time to be perverted, Simon.

Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Jesse and Hector emerged beside me, both looking livid. Took them long enough.

May I take this moment to say how confusing it is to see three Jesse's? I love the guy, and can't get enough of him, but this...this was too much. Even for me.

"Dammit!" Qain swore loudly at the sight of the other two. "This wasn't suppose to happen! How did this happen?"

_Looking back at me I see that I never really got it right  
__I never stopped to think of you  
__I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win  
__You are the antidote that gets me by  
__Something strong like a drug that gets me high_

Qain sneered at Hector as someone behind him groaned hoarsely.

"Qain, what's going on?_" _

Oh shit. That's me. Well, my body. Damn I sound bad. At least I'm not dead.

Yet. What to be positive, Suze.

Qain turned around and pushed Saben back down on the couch as she tried to sit up.

"The incantation," Jesse came up and whispered in my ear. "Start the exorcism."

Jesse glided in front of me, obscuring me from the view of others. Carefully, I pulled the incantation from my pocket.

"Hello, Susannah," Hector prowled over to where my body lay. I heard Saben gasp harshly, and I began mumbling the Egyptian translation (as best as I could.)

"What is she doing?" Qain asked, causing me to glance up. One hand was on Hector's shoulder, the other pointing a finger at me.

"Nothing," Jesse replied casually as he continued to block me.

"She's—son of a bitch!" Qain lunched at me, but Jesse caught him around the waist and hurled him to the floor.

"Hurry, Susannah!" Jesse grunted as Qain thrust a knee at his abdomen. Saben attempted to jump up and rescue Qain, but only managed to fall off the couch and scream. Hector flipped her onto her back and straddled her. She was too weak to fight back–maybe she didn't want to.

_What I really meant to say  
__Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
__I never meant to be so cold  
__Never meant to be so cold_

Suddenly my legs were kicked out from underneath me and I landed on my back with a thud. The hex fluttered from my hands, landing on the floor a few feet away.

"Stupid bitch," Qain straddled my waist and pulled his arm back. I closed my eyes tightly in anticipation of the blow I was about to receive. But it never came. In fact, Qain's weight shifted off of me roughly–Hector tackled him to the floor and was trying to pin him down.

"Susannah," he bellowed back at me as Qain tried to flip him over. Shaken from my daze I pounced at the exorcism and finished the last bit of it.

"Evict the souls of Hathor followers. The name of Amin-Ra commands–release the bodies they possess," I yelled above the ruckus. As if struck, both bodies seized forward, then collapsed. The souls emerged effortlessly, leaving the bodies behind, unconscious in their wake.

Saben grinned at me maliciously. "You're mine now."

Rather than cower away in fear, I dropped the exorcism and took a step towards her. Qain and Hector circled each other, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Hector's hair was disheveled while Qain's nose was oozing blood. Jesse, too, was close by, waiting to attack, and looking rough.

"If you want me. Come and get me," I offered up coyly. Saben cocked her head to the side, amused, then dematerialized. Confused, I looked around for her.

Bad idea.

An arm snaked around my throat, pulling me backwards. I threw my weight back, causing Saben to lose her balance and fall. Skillfully (not) I landed on Saben's chest, knocking the wind out of her. I rolled off her and scrambled back to my feet before she could recover.

"You can't win," Saben laughed darkly as she twisted on the floor. I feigned hurt at her as I aimed a kick at her ribs.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you to have faith in yourself?"

Saben barely flinched as my foot connected with her side. Her hand shot out and clutched my ankle, then twisted it to a painful angle. I dropped to my free knee and tried to un-contort myself when something solid rammed into my head. Saben, using her mind, levitated the coffee table and slammed it against my skull again.

"Mother fu– " I grabbed my head and cursed. So, she wants it rough, does she? Well, two can play this game.

I concentrated on the television across the room with all my might. Slowly it rose from its resting place. Saben, who wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings, obviously, cackled at me again as she stood up.

"You get a B for effort. Your skills, however, leave something to be desired."

The tv smashed into her, shattering the screen into a million pieces. Saben collapsed to the floor, with some of the tv remains on her back.

_And I'm sorry about all the lies  
__Maybe in a different light  
__You could see me stand on my own again  
__Cause now I can see  
__You were the antidote that got me by  
__Something strong like a drug that got me high_

I glanced over at Qain. Hector was punching him any and everywhere he could. Jesse helped hold him down, watching as his double viciously vented his pent up rage. The dagger lay on the carpet next to Hector, begging to be used. I scrambled over the debris as fast as I could, and snatched the dagger from the floor. Saben stirred behind me, starting to regain her strength. I had to get ot her while she was still weak...

"You bitch," she hissed and threw the television off herself. Grasping the dagger firmly I dematerialized across the room. Saben looked only slightly shocked when I appeared beside her, then threw myself at her. My weight crushed her against the floor as I grabbed a handful of her thick hair. I pulled back her head, exposing her neck, and placed the blade right above her skin, mindful not to touch it yet.

"Why did you do this? Why are you hurting him?"

"Who?" she growled up at me, her eyes burning into mine fiercely.

"Hector." Saben let out a shrill laugh that sent a chill up my spine.

"Qain is more of a man than Hector will ever be." I yanked her head back further.

"_Qain_ is a liar, a user, and a bastard. Not a man."

"Says you. You haven't fucked him, or you'd agree."

I rolled my eyes. God, she truly is pathetic. "Yeah, I'm not into screwing guys old enough to be my dad. Sorry."

Saben shook beneath me as laughter continued to escape her bloody lips.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're the same age," she chided bitterly. My smirk widened too and I jerked her head in the direction of her beloved, so she could see him.

"You don't honestly think a 17 year old could manipulate a disease, did you?"

Saben quit laughing and stared back at me, disbelievingly.

"By now, you should realized that 17 year old boys are only good at manipulating one thing," I lowered myself and whispered in her ear. "Miserable whores, like you."

_What I really meant to say  
__Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
__I never meant to be so cold  
__Never meant to be so cold  
__I never meant to be so cold_

Okay. I was being harsh, I know. But I am pissed. And in life, you're either the pisser or one getting pissed on. And I refuse to be the latter.

"No," Saben shook her head as hard as she could. "He...no!"

"Charles, meet Susannah. Susannah meet Charles," I said loud enough for both to hear. Qain's head snapped in our direction, and he gawked at us through a stratum of blood.

"Oh God," Saben choked back a sob beneath me.

"Don't listen to her, Susannah! You mustn't believe them!"

But she was, I could tell.

"Kill me," she turned back and whispered to me. "Please. I can't take this."

I glared down at her and moved the dagger so it hovered above where her heart would be.

"You know," I whispered at her hostilely. "I finally get the hint from my nightmare. _Solamente._ You claimed to be the only one, but you weren't. Not yet. That was your unintentional way of saying you were going to kill me, wasn't it?"

"Please," tears tainted her cheeks. "I'm begging you. Kill me!"

Anger coursed through me as I watched her cry in shame. "You're already dead."

I thrust the dagger downward and watched it pierce her ghostly flesh. She gaped at me for a split second, then disappeared into the silver blade. The eyes of the serpent shimmered more than before, almost as if alive.

"Susannah!" Hector shouted. I automatically looked back at them, the dagger still in my grasp. Jesse ducked a mirror that flew towards him as he held Qain to the floor. I dematerialized to where they were and handed Hector the dagger. From the looks of it, Qain put up a hell of a fight. Jesse and Hector, though healing, were cut and bloody.

"For _mi querida,"_ Hector sneered at Qain and stabbed him in the stomach. Like Saben, Qain

froze momentarily before vanishing from sight. The ruby snake eyes were shined brighter than ever.

_I never really wanted you to see  
__the screwed up side of me that I keep  
__Locked inside of me so deep  
__It always seems to get to me  
__I never really wanted you to go  
__So many things you should have known  
__I guess for me there's just no hope  
__I never meant to be so cold_

Jesse pushed himself to his feet then slowly approached me.

"Querida, are you alright?" he asked as he worked his way around the mass of rubble the fight had produced.

"Querida?"

Glass, porcelain, cushion stuffing, dust, wood, plaster.._blood_–everywhere. Covering the floor, the walls, the ceiling...

"Susannah?" Jesse placed a large hand on ym shoulder as he studied me, worriedly. Shaken from my musing, I stared back. That is, until I came to my senses and threw my arms around him, burying my face in his strong chest. His arms gently comforted me, his hands occasionally stroking my hair.

"Nombre Di Dios," a strangled voice came from beside us. I reluctantly pulled away from Jesse, and watched Hector.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said flatly, sounding anything but contrite. "But we really should get you two _back_ in your bodies. There will be plenty of time for _that_–" he motioned at our embrace. "–later."

"Right," Jesse cleared his throat, seeming slightly embarrassed. "What do we do?"

Hector snorted and rolled his eyes. I think I'm rubbing off on him. "Touch yourself."

Despite all we had been through, I couldn't help the laughter that escaped my control. Both men stared at me as I gripped the sofa remains next to me for support. Hector must have read my mind since he groaned and reiterated as my giggling began to die down.

"Dios, Susannah! Touch your body!"

That only spurred the laughter back to life. I know, this is a serious situation. Most people would be in shock.. But come on. How could Hector say that and keep a straight face? And how could Jesse not get it? Note to self: Update Jesse's lingo. I've said it once, I'm saying it again.

Hector rolled his eyes once more and grabbed my arm. "Alright, alright," I choked out and walked to where my body was. Jesse had a cushion and a cup on his body, which he chucked across the room. I kicked table shards away from my leg and removed a piece of glass from my stomach. Luckily, it was lying on my shirt, and didn't puncture the skin. Like I didn't already have enough problems to deal with.

"I'll go get Padre," Hector sighed and dematerialized. I peeked over at Jesse as he grabbed his body and was sucked into it. Other than he rise and fall of his chest, he wasn't moving. At least there was that much.

I took a deep breath I reached out and touched the pale skin on my arm. Sudden darkness engulfed me. After a few moments I could feel someone shaking me as they called my name. But I couldn't see them, my eyelids felt as heavy as lead.

"Susannah, don't. Don't die on me. Querida, I love you. Please."

I tried to reply but the pain rushing through me kept me immobile. It was too great. I gave in.

Now the sounds around me were muffled. I could no longer hear Jesse's beautiful voice.

_What I really meant to say  
__Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
__I never meant to be so cold  
__Never meant to be so cold_

--

"Alert the ICU; we have a trauma one with possible hemorrhaging."

"Sir, her bp is 180/120."

"She's in pain. Start her on morphine, IV drip."

"Heart rate 154 and climbing."

"She's pre-tac arrest. Let's go people!"

The voices around me dissipated as quickly as they'd returned. I'd faded in and out of consciousness a few times before the paramedics arrived. Jesse was okay–the plan had worked.

As the lighter voices faded once more, a deeper one replaced them.

"You shouldn't be here," Adias's voice echoed in the dark. The dark that was gradually becoming foggy and littered with stars.

Ah damn.

"I know, I don't have the dagger. But I–"

"No. That isn't what I mean."

"Oh." I frowned.

Adias spoke in a tone I'd never heard him use before. Almost...gentle. "It's not your time to die, Susannah."

I looked around the familiar hallway, lost. One wall was completely gone, consumed by darkness.

"And yet, you remain..." his tone was filled with wonder. Like I knew why I was here...dead. I mean, its not like I planned for this to happen. But since I was in the neighborhood...

"Yeah...I need a favor from you."

Adias cocked an eyebrow at me. What? No demeaning remark?

"Hector–he's been through so much, and I was hoping, maybe..."

I think I've seen that one Jet Li movie too many times. Sigh.

"Don't worry. He will be adequately rewarded for all he has done"

I smiled genuinely. "Thanks. I really app–"

"Go," he pointed to the eerie shadow. I cautiously walked from the fog, back into black. Confused, I looked to Adias for more instructions, but he was gone, along with the fog.

"Clear!" I heard a stern voice say, then felt a jolt to my chest. Cool fingers lightly pushed on my neck.

"Still no pulse."

"Charge to 250."

_Beep._

"Wait."

_Beep. Beep. _

The soft prodding on my throat resumed.

"She has a pulse. It's weak, but growing stronger."

Sudden warm hands clasped mine and stroked the pale skin. I could feel warm breath against my cheek, and a tear as it fell onto me.

"Never scare me like that again," a soothing male voice whispered. "I thought I almost lost you."

I opened my eyes and stared up at Jesse. He moved the oxygen mask that was covering my face a bit.

"You almost did," I replied softly, and moved to stroke his tear stained cheeks. Jesse turned his head and kissed my palm, his facial hair making my hand tingle. Though woozy, I managed to give him a small smile.

"I lurv you," my words slurred and my eyes drooped. Jesse chuckled lightly.

"I love you too, Querida."

"Jesse?" I tried to hold my eyes open but failed.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to sleep."

Jesse's hold on my hands tightened slightly. "Don't worry, Susannah. I won't let anything hurt you. I promise."

I nodded my head. " 'Kay."

Before drifting off to sleep, I felt Jesse kiss my forehead. He rested his head next to me on the hospital bed, and hummed a quiet lullaby. A lullaby that continued into my peaceful, well missed, dreams.

* * *

I already have a few written pages finished for chapter 19. So...there _should_ only be two more chapters to go.

Bp: blood pressure

pre-tac arrest: tachycardia is usually a precursor to going into cardiac arrest


	19. Shattered Glass

Sorry this took so long to update, and sorry in advance for any errors. There's only one chapter after this, so says I. You know, assuming I don't change my crazy ickle mind. Pfft. ONE SAM, ONE! Yergh. This sucks. Humor me as usual though, if you will.

Dedicated to Char, everyone who has taken exams lately, and to the pointfest line up. It made my day precious :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the excerpt from _Shadowland_. Meg Cabot does. Go her.****

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* * *

Ch 19: Shattered Glass**

"Excuse me, miss," a low voice impeded my rest. I wearily opened my crusty eyes at the man next to me. Tall, skinny, elderly...

And glowing.

"Sorry to bother you," the ghost ran a shaky hand over his bald head. My body begged me to go back to sleep, but I knew I needed to assist the poor gentleman next to me.

Would you look at that? Nearly dying has turned me soft. Fabulous.

"How can I help you, sir?" I croaked attractively.

Stupid phlegm.

"A young man told me to visit you. Pool, was it?"

"Paul?" I raised an eyebrow at him and propped myself up in the firm bed.

"Yes, him. I told him I died of a heart attack, and that I still needed to tell my daughter about the bonds in my attic. They'll give her the financial aid she needs. I asked Pel to give them to her, but he sent me to you. He said you were more trustworthy with such matters."

I smirked at the man and reached by my bed to grab a "Get Well" card and a pen.

"Can you give me your name, your address, and your daughter's name please."

The elderly gentleman sighed in relief and rattled off the information to me.

"Thank you so much."

"No problem," I smiled gently and watched as the soul before me began to fade.

"And tell her," he sniffed. "That I love her."

I nodded and he disappeared completely, leaving me in the dark.

With a sigh, I placed the card and pen back on the table, and laid back down. I'll have to have Jesse take care of it. I'm stuck in here for another week. Yergh.

A tingling sensation in my gut alerted me to the attendance of yet another ghost. Oh boy. Here we go.

"Is everything alright, Susannah?" Hector asked curiously. Oops, I thought his name. "I felt a presence here a moment ago."

"Just a lost soul looking for guidance," I sighed, my eyes still closed. Hector chuckled beside me.

"Do tell me you were kind and didn't scare them off."

I opened my eyes and glared at him.

"Of course I was nice," I said, affronted. Hector chuckled again, this time lighter. I narrowed my eyes further and punched him the arm. He didn't even flinch as I touch him.

"What else is bothering you, Susannah? You've been restless for days."

I looked away from him quickly. He'd noticed. I'd here I thought I was being such a good actress.

"I'm just confused," I answered truthfully. Hector took a seat beside me on the bed, and stretched out.

"What's on your mind, _querida?_"

God I hate when he does that. Jesse is alive. Jesse is mine. Jesse loves me. Be rational Suze.

I need therapy.

I watched Hector take in unnecessary breaths as he lay next to me.

"Why..." I hesitated, not quite sure how to put my thoughts together. Hector opened his eyes and stared down at me.

"What is it?"

"Why was I so easy to kill? I mean Saben. It just seemed to easy."

Hector furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "You were fighting for love, she was fighting for survival. She was broken, you're not. Her faults made her weak and vulnerable. They were her undoing."

"Oh," was all I could say. I'd just been complimented. Well, sort of. According to Hector, I was less weak than the other me.

Yeah. That sounded better in my mind.

Hector grinned at me softly. "Is that all that was on your mind?'

No. I had a lot on my mind. Most of which didn't make sense. And oven half of it wasn't about to voice –especially to him. So I thought of something else that bugged me.

"Why was Jesse so mad during the fight? He was fine when I left."

"Ah," Hector smiled knowingly. "I wondered if you'd caught that."

His tone make me think he'd hoped I hadn't noticed. How could I not have? They arrived about 2 minutes after I did. Plus, I'd never seen Jesse so mad before.

Scratch that–it paralleled the time he beat the hell out of Paul at my house. While still a ghost.

_Never _going to live _that_ down.

"Well?" I prodded when he didn't explain. I don't like being left high and dry.

Now I sound like an alcoholic.

"Charles Paquin destroyed the woman I loved; I wanted his death on my hands, not Jesse's. He wanted to kill Charles for hurting you, but it was my fight; and I told him so. I asked him to have minimal participation in the death of Charles. This angered him greatly, but he obliged."

I averted my gaze to the clock on the wall. I don't think Saben was the only one from his parallel broken.

"Jesse loves you, Susannah. Every time you time think someone else would be better for him, it breaks my heart. I know how he feels. If only you could see."

I closed my heavy eyes, as they began to water. I just want what's best for Jesse..even if it's not me.

"Look," Hector sighed heartily and got up. 'You've been stuck in here for two weeks. How about I take you somewhere?"

I snorted loudly. "What? Are you going to smuggle me out through the window?"

Hector laughed lightly at my sarcasm. "No, _querida. _Astral projection was more what I had in mind."

I shut my eyes and concentrated. God, this was going to be tacky. I'm in a back-tying hospital gown.

But before I could ask for a shirt, I heard Hector speak.

"Take my hand."

I grimaced down at myself.

Damn. Too late.

I did as Hector instructed. As soon as my hand was in his, my surroundings dissolved. The hospital walls were replaced by the Carmel-by-the-Sea Historical Society.

And here I was hoping for a beach.

"Wow," I breathed facetiously. Hector gave my hand a quick squeeze before releasing it.

"We need to destroy the mirror," he said, and lead me over to what he was referring to.

I touched the fading writing along the side of the mirror with my fingers.

"It is real."

"What?" Hector looked at me inquisitively.

"The mirror. It was in my... dream."

Hector sighed to himself. "Remember, some of Saben's memories were real."

Oh. Right.

Heh.

"Destroying this mirror creates one less portal for shifters to rule by. The less the better."

"Are you sure?" I asked and scrutinized the mirror on the wall.

"Yes, Susannah," he chuckled once more. "Now, would you like the honors of shattering this hellish tool?"

Yes, get the girl in the hospital gown to bend over. Classic.

Wait...I wonder if...

I squinted at the chair behind ol' Clive's desk and smirked to myself when it levitated off the floor. Score one Suze.

Using my mind, I threw the chair in to the mirror mercilessly. Millions of glass shards erupted from the wall and littered the wooden floor. The chair bounced off the mirror paneling and fell to the ground, upside down.

I looked up to see Hector's reaction but I blinded by a blaze of white light.

And my mom wonders why I like black.

The light steadily faded, revealing the Shadowland.

I am so ready to go back to my body now. Bad memories are flooding me.

"I caught mommy kissing Santa!" Adias chimed merrily. Hector and I glanced at each other, both slightly confused and apprehensive.

"Oh, you two are no fun," he frowned and ushered us forward. Adias was in his usual gladiator attire, but this time also carried a mirror. One similar to the mirror I'd just shattered–only smaller.

"I already returned the dagger," Hector said slowly, as though talking to a child.

"Yes, we know. _We_ are eternally grateful. Which brings me to why I brought you two here."

I looked over at Hector again. He was tense, seemingly alarmed. Adias caught my eye and winked.

"For all of your assistance to _us_, we wish to reward you, Hector 'Jesse' De Silva."

Oh.

Squee!

Hector's face fell in shock. "W-what?"

"Right this way, amigo. Come claim your prize."

Adias traipsed over to one of the doors in the endless Shadowland hallway. Hector looked at me for instruction and I nodded from him to go. Timidly, he approached the door.

"For your service, _we_ reward you with a second chance at life."

O.O

Hector reached for the door knob, then pulled back hesitantly. "Wait."

Adias and I eyed one another, trying to figure out what his dilemma was. I was so busy "eye conversing' with Adias, that I didn't detect Hector approach me. Not until he stopped right in front of me, cupped my face...

And kissed me.

A soft, sweet kiss.

"Goodbye, _querida_," he breathed once he released his claim on my lips.

I couldn't stop the words form spilling form my tingling mouth. "Don't make me her."

Hector kissed me one last time, then let me go. He approached the door more confidently this time, and grabbed the handle.

"You're not her," Hector smiled back at me gently. "You're better."

With a mere twist of the knob and a slight push, he disappeared. Leaving me behind as a puddle of mush.

_God_ I _need _Jesse.

Damn hormones.

"Care to see what adventures our young compadre is about to embark on?" Adias looked at me, amused, and waved the mirror in his hand. I raised an eyebrow at him as he approached, and handed me the mirror. Gazing down into the glass was like watching a recording of me life.

_I was in my new home for the first time. Andy was showing me around my pink room. Everything was great except for one small thing. Actually, he isn't small, but still._

_There was a ghost on my window seat. A ghost I recognized, but the me in this parallel didn't. Andy left the room but my mom stayed behind to see if I was okay. _

"_Do you think you can be happy here?" she asked and I have her a hug. _

"_Sure, mom," I said. "Sure, I'll be happy here. I feel at home already." _

_My mom sniffed. "Really? You swear?"_

"_I do."_

_I watched my mom leave my room and shut the door behind her. As soon as she was gone, I saw myself turn on the ghost on the window seat. _

"_All right," I said a bit harshly. "Who the hell are you?"_

I looked up at Adias, slightly shocked.

"Look familiar?" he smirked at me as I nodded. "We sent Hector to a parallel very close to yours."

"So his life will wind up being like Jesse's?"

"Close," he took the mirror from my hands gently. "There will be a few differences, but nothing major."

I blinked. "So he'll have a good life?"

"Yes, he will."

I gave him a genuine smile. "Tha–"

Adias interrupted me like usual. "It's time for you to go."

"See you around," I gave him a small wave goodbye.

"No," he grinned pertly. "You won't."

_If you're lost you can look and you will find me  
Time after time  
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting  
Time after time_

* * *

The lyrics are "Time after time" by Quietdrive. I don't remember who originally sang it. Cyndi L or something? yeah. I prefer the Qd version, but that's just me.  
Thanks for reading.

Pudding and drum sticks all.  
XO


End file.
